you will need / will be needing / might need/ might be needing (2025)

Hello.

I am really confused about when to use which of theses.

i do understand that I might be needing is continuous and might need is not, same goes for will need and will be needing.

But how does that affect their meaning.

scenario:

my friends don't talk to me any more.

someone walks up and says:

Looks like you might be needing new friends now. (will be needing)

i don't think will need and might need work here.

scenario 2:

i want to use the car tomorrow, I ask my mom:

Mom, will you need the car (will you be needing the car)

I would say both work but I am not sure.

could you explain the differences to me please?

Fbohn21 said:

Looks like you might be needing new friends now. (will be needing)

i don't think will need and might need work here

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What is the situation? It seems a very unusual thing to say, just like that. The usual meaning of "(it) looks like you might be needing some new friends" is a thinly-veiled threat associated with a protection racket, and is nothing to do with ordinary friendships. If the person is referring to ordinary friendships then I don't see anything wrong with "will need" or "might need", although it would be a very unusual thing to say like that at all.

In scenario 2, "be needing" is better as you are really asking about the times when she will be needing it.

Scenario 1:

My friends are not talking to me anymore becuase we had a huge fight.

A third person says: Wow, they are not talking to you anymore! Looks like you might be needing new friends to hang out with.

I just really don’t get the difference between will need, will be needing, might need and might be needing.

I would say:

Here are my notes from first year, trust me you might/will need them soon.

Would might/will be needing be better?

"Will" expresses certainty; "might" expresses a possibility.
The continuous form is used for a specific period of time in the near future, such as "will you be needing the car tomorrow?". In general terms, it expresses greater immediacy. If you are not (only) referring to the near future, than the simple form is better.

For the friends, any statement involving "you will be needing" appears to me to be a threat; it is such a very unfriendly thing to say, and I wonder why you have chosen it as an example.

For the notes:

a. You should use "will" with "trust me". You are being assertive.
b. "Will be needing" is better than "will need" with "soon", especially with the assertiveness of "trust me".​

Ok so what about:

I will be making a video, so I’ll be needing my camera.

Or

I am not ready for Christmas, I’ll be needing time to study, so I won’t be hanging around enjoying myself.

Is it ok to use “I’ll be needing“ in those scenarios?

Fbohn21 said:

I will be making a video, so I’ll be needing my camera.

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The first clause is fine, but as soon as you express a reason for needing something, then the simple future works best.

Fbohn21 said:

I am not ready for Christmas, I’ll be needing time to study, so I won’t be hanging around enjoying myself.

Click to expand...

As with the first sentence, the inclusion of "to study" means you should use "I'll need time". "I won’t be hanging around enjoying myself" isn't a natural way of expressing it. You should say something like "I won't be able to hang around enjoying myself". If you were talking about something else and using a different verb, then the continuous form might be fine, such as "so I won't be going out at all".

What about if I am walking my dog and suddenly the lash rips.

Could I then say m:

I’ll be needing a new one or I am gonna need a new one?

I think a found an exmaple where the continuous works and I understand why:

I just received my assignment. I’ll be needing a lot of coffee.

Please don't use "gonna" in written English. I have no idea why it appears on this forum so often - is it in some teaching book? You will very rarely find it in print except in direct speech where the writer wants to represent how a person actually speaks (which isn't how I speak).

For the leash, you would probably say "I am going to need a new one" or "I'll need a new one", since your need isn't confined to a period of time, but "I’ll be needing a new one" isn't wrong.

The coffee one is fine.

What about this scenario:

Do you need my help with your homework.

No not yet. But I’ll be needing it once I start studying.

2.scenario:

I am going for walk with my dog, so I’ll need the leash.

Here the simple form is better right?