behov

Behov is a Swedish noun meaning necessity, need, or requirement. It can refer to something essential for living, functioning, or well-being, as well as a stronger wish or demand in certain contexts. The concept covers both material and non-material aspects and is used across psychology, economics, sociology, and public planning.

Etymology and grammar: The word comes from Old Norse and is cognate with Danish behov and Norwegian behov. It is most often used with the preposition av to indicate what is needed, for example behov av mat (the need for food) or behov av vård (the need for care). The noun is neuter: ett behov. The definite singular is behovet, and the definite plural is behoven; in many uses it can also function as an uncountable concept simply as behov.

Contexts and usage: In psychology, behov is used to describe fundamental human needs, such as physiological needs, safety, and belonging. In Maslow’s framework, behov translates to the concept of needs that motivate behavior. In economics and marketing, the term is used to distinguish needs from desires or wants, with phrases like kundbehov (customer needs) or behovsanalys (needs analysis) to identify what people require from products, services, or policies. In public planning, behov is central to evaluating what society must provide to ensure welfare and development. The common verb phrase is tillfredsställa ett behov, meaning to satisfy a need.

Examples: Grundläggande behov inkluderar mat, vatten, skydd och sömn. Behov av utbildning och vård är andra exempel som ofta diskuteras i politik och samhällsplanering.

See also: kundbehov, behovsanalys, Maslows hierarki, önskemål.