What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "of what have you need?" because the French verb avoir besoin de (to need) requires the preposition de.
Which one should you use?
While de quoi as-tu besoin ? uses inversion to form a question, you may also encounter De quoi est-ce que tu as besoin ?, which uses the est-ce que construction common in spoken French. In casual, everyday conversation, French speakers often place the question word at the end of the sentence, such as in Tu as besoin de quoi ?
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form de quoi as-tu besoin ? uses the tu form, which is used for friends, family or children. Use De quoi avez-vous besoin ? when speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group of people. In spoken French, it is very common to use the est-ce que construction, De quoi est-ce que tu as besoin ?, instead of inversion to form the question.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly omit the de at the beginning, but since besoin requires de, the question must start with de quoi.
Did you know?
- The word besoin is related to the verb soigner, which means 'to care for' or 'to treat' in a medical sense. This links the idea of necessity to the act of providing care.
- The word quoi and the English word 'what' are actually distant linguistic cousins. They both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root, though they evolved differently through history.
- In very formal writing, the word besoin can be used as a noun meaning 'necessity' or 'poverty', as in 'the needs of the poor'.
Examples in context
- Dis-moi, de quoi as-tu besoin ?Tell me, what do you need?
Example conversation
Hugo is helping Chloé prepare for a trip.
- HugoTu prépares ton sac, de quoi as-tu besoin ?You are packing your bag, what do you need?
- ChloéJ'ai besoin d'une boussole.I need a compass.
- HugoEst-ce que tu as besoin d'autre chose ?Do you need anything else?
- ChloéNon, c'est tout, merci Hugo !No, that is all, thanks Hugo!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries besoin, de, quoi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
