J’ai envie d’une nouvelle voiture ...surely that can mean BOTH I want a new car & i need a new car. My car is 24 years old ...I NEED a new car...

Question

Accepted Answer

Hi Marnie,
'J'ai envie d'une nouvelle voiture' means, 'I feel like (having) a new car'. Here, it is a wish rather than a need. 
If you car is 24 years old and you feel you are in need of a new car you will say. "J'ai besoin de changer ma voiture'" or something like "Il faut (absolument) que je change ma voiture." which is a bit stronger.
Hope this helps!

Answer

Oh now I see...I need a new car would be ‘j’ai besoin d’acheter une nouvelle voiture’!

Answer

actually i do not understand.  For me it would be useful to know how often avoir envie de is used to mean ´need’ and in what context.  How is it different from ´avoir besoin dé’ .  And when does one use n’avoir envie dque ´ and when to use expressions with ´vouloir’.

Answer

But you give ´I need a new’ something in the lesson.  Perhaps that usage could be removed....?  Merci.

Answer

Hi Marnie,
I can understand your wish to remove avoir envie de to mean a 'need or want to go' as you find it confusing but it is one of the meanings of 'avoir envie de' which could be very useful to anyone finding him or herself in a French speaking hospital, for instance.
Avoir envie d'uriner/d'aller à la selle = To have an urge to urinate/defecate
conveys an express need for bodily functions.

Answer

Thanks for clarifying...I didn’t want to remove it ...just to understand the nuances and raison d’etre For its use!

Answer

The use/différence hadn’t been explained...now it is clear.

Answer

I had the same question