behoefte

Behoefte is a Dutch noun meaning a need, requirement, or desire. It denotes a state of lacking something considered necessary or desirable. The word is commonly used with the preposition aan to indicate what one needs, for example behoefte aan rust (a need for rest), behoefte aan voedsel (a need for food) or behoefte aan privacy. In plural form, it becomes behoeften. A sentence such as iemand heeft behoefte aan meer uitleg literally means someone has a need for more explanation.

Behoefte derives from the verb behoeven, meaning to need or to require, with the suffix -te forming a noun that expresses a state or condition. The term is widespread in everyday Dutch as well as in formal contexts such as economics, sociology, psychology, and public policy.

In economic analysis, behoefte is often contrasted with vraag. Behoefte refers to subjective, internal needs, while vraag denotes market demand for goods and services. In marketing and consumer research, het begrijpen van consumentenbehoeften (understanding consumer needs) is central. Philosophical and policy discussions may distinguish between basic physiological behoeften and higher-order psychosocial behoeften, following frameworks like Maslow, which Dutch sources sometimes render as behoeftepyramide.

Common phrases: behoefte aan, voorzien in iemands behoeften (to meet or fulfill someone’s needs), geen behoefte hebben aan (to have no need for). These usages illustrate the word’s flexibility in both literal and figurative contexts.