要る・いる (need)

• Reading: いる
• Romaji: iru
• Formation: (Person + に +) Needed thing + が + 要る
• Kanji breakdown: 要 (yō/i) = essential, need

Meaning

Expresses that someone or something needs or requires something. The subject (what is needed) is marked with が, and the person who needs it is marked with に. It is a godan verb conjugated like other る-ending godan verbs.

Unlike 必要だ (which is a na-adjective meaning 'necessary'), 要る is a verb that describes needing something in a more colloquial and direct way. It is commonly used in everyday speech, particularly in questions like いる？ to ask 'Do you need this?' The negative form いらない is extremely common and is used to decline offers or indicate something is unnecessary. Note that 要る should not be confused with 居る (to exist for animate things), which shares the same reading. The kanji 要 helps distinguish the two in writing, though in casual text both are often written in hiragana.

Examples

1. 新しいパソコンが要る。 I need a new computer.
2. 明日の会議には資料が要ります。 Documents are needed for tomorrow's meeting.
3. この仕事にはもっと時間が要る。 This job requires more time.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: practical

Do Say

• もう少しお金が要る。
• この書類にはハンコが要ります。
• 何か要るものはありますか。

Don't Say

• 新しい靴を要る。(Using を instead of が — the needed item takes が, not を) → 新しい靴が要る。
• パスポートは要るだ。(Adding だ after a verb — 要る is already a verb and does not take だ) → パスポートは要る。
• お水が要りたい。(Using たい form — 要る itself already expresses wanting/needing; use 欲しい instead) → お水が欲しい。

Origin & History

要る derives from the kanji 要 meaning 'essential' or 'necessity.' It has been used as a verb expressing need since the classical Japanese period.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal