nécessiter

Nécessiter is a transitive French verb meaning to require, to make necessary, or to entail. It is used to express that something imposes a need for resources, time, conditions, or actions. The nuance is closer to logical or practical demand than to mere obligation, and it is more formal or technical than expressions like avoir besoin de. It can describe what becomes necessary as a consequence of a situation, rather than what someone personally wants.

Etymology and usage notes: The verb comes from Latin necessitare, from necessitas (necessity), and entered French through Old or Middle French. It is commonly found in written and technical registers, policy discussions, and formal narration. In everyday speech, speakers often replace it with faut, il faut, or avoir besoin de for simplicity, but necessiter conveys a sense of consequence and sufficiency that those phrases do not.

Conjugation and forms: Nécessiter is a regular -er verb. Present tense: je nécessite, tu nécessites, il nécessite, nous nécessitons, vous nécessitez, ils nécessitent. Past participle: nécessité, used with auxiliary avoir in compound tenses (e.g., cela a nécessité des ressources considérables). Imperfect: nécessitait; imperfect subjunctive: nécessitât (rare in modern usage). Present subjunctive: il faut aisément que je nécessite, que nous nécessitions, que vous nécessitiez, qu’ils nécessitent. Imperative: nécessite, nécessitons, nécessitez.

Examples:

- Cette installation a nécessité des investissements importants.

- Le protocole nécessite des contrôles supplémentaires avant approval.

- Cette décision nécessiterait l’accord du conseil.

See also: exiger, impliquer, demander.