Nous avons besoin de lire plus, alors nous l’empruntons directement.

We need to read more, so we borrow it right away.

Breakdown of Nous avons besoin de lire plus, alors nous l’empruntons directement.

• nous: we
• lire: to read
• alors: so
• de: of
• emprunter: to borrow
• avoir besoin: to have need
• plus: more
• directement: directly

Questions & Answers about Nous avons besoin de lire plus, alors nous l’empruntons directement.

Why does the sentence use avoir besoin de instead of a simpler verb like devoir?

Avoir besoin de literally means to have need of, suggesting a necessity that comes from a personal or contextual requirement. It emphasizes that there is a specific need or requirement to read more, rather than a general obligation. Devoir could also be used, but it would imply a duty or strong obligation, so the nuance changes slightly.

What does the pronoun l’ refer to in nous l’empruntons directement?

The pronoun l’ stands in for the object you are borrowing (for example, a book or a text). In French, when you already know the noun or it’s clear from context, you replace it with a direct object pronoun like le, la, or l’ when the noun starts with a vowel sound. Here, l’ likely refers to le livre or la ressource that was mentioned or implied earlier.

Why do we use emprunter and not donner or prêter?

Emprunter means to borrow, which is taking something that you will return later. Prêter means to lend, the opposite action (giving something to someone who will return it). Donner means to give permanently, so it doesn't apply to borrowing situations. Since the sentence is about acquiring something temporarily, emprunter makes sense.

Is it correct to say Nous avons besoin de lire plus without using de before lire?

No, it’s not correct to omit the de in this construction. The phrase avoir besoin de is followed by an infinitive or a noun, and the de is mandatory in French grammar. Saying Nous avons besoin lire plus would be grammatically incorrect.