Grammar Point
intransitive verb
vi 
Godan verb with 'ru' ending
v5r 
word usually written using kana alone
uk 
要るいる

to need, to want

Noun + が + 要る

The verb 要る (often written in hiragana as いる) expresses necessity or a requirement, translating to 'need' in English. Because 要る is an intransitive verb in Japanese, it literally translates closer to 'is necessary'. Therefore, the item that is needed acts as the grammatical subject and must be marked with the subject particle が or the topic particle は, and never the direct object particle を.

Noun + が/は + 要る

The item required is indicated by the particle が in standard positive statements. When making a negative statement or when contrasting the item with something else, the topic particle は is typically used instead.

I need time.

I need an umbrella.

I do not need a car.

Note

A very common mistake for English speakers is to use the direct object particle を instead of が, for example incorrectly saying 車を要る. However, because 要る is strictly an intransitive verb in Japanese, the item is technically 'being necessary', making を completely ungrammatical. Additionally, although this verb ends in 'iru', it is a Group 1 (u-verb). This means its conjugation follows the pattern of regular verbs ending in ~う. Therefore, the negative form is 要らない and the polite form is 要ります.

Words: 
要るいる
Radicals of radicals