Word
Нам нужно разрешение.
Meaning
We need permission.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
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Questions & Answers about Нам нужно разрешение.
Why is it нам, not мы?
Because Russian uses the dative case in this kind of someone needs something construction.
- мы = we (subject form, nominative)
- нам = to us / for us (dative)
So Нам нужно разрешение literally works like:
- To us it is necessary
- Permission is needed
A very literal translation would be Permission is necessary for us, but in natural English this is usually just We need permission.
What does нужно mean here?
Here нужно means needed, necessary, or required.
In this sentence, it forms a very common Russian pattern:
- кому-то нужно что-то = someone needs something
So:
- мне нужно время = I need time
- тебе нужно отдохнуть = you need to rest
- нам нужно разрешение = we need permission
It is not a full verb like English need. Russian often expresses this idea with a structure that is closer to it is necessary for someone.
Why is it нужно, not нужны, нужна, or нужен?