Demand vs I'm going to need her money vs Request

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Demand

Top 1,000 (very common)B2noun

I'm going to need her money

Top 2,000 (common)

Request

Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
 DemandI'm going to need her moneyRequest
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/dɪˈmɑːnd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪˈmænd/"]/🇬🇧 //aɪm ˈɡoʊɪŋ tə niːd hɜːr ˈmʌni//🇺🇸 //aɪm ˈɡoʊɪŋ tə nid hɜr ˈmʌni//🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈkwest/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈkwest/"]/
MeaningTo ask for something forcefully.I will require her money.to ask for something
ExampleThe demand for organic food has been steadily increasing over the past few years.In order to pay the bill, I'm going to need her money.I would like to make a request for a day off next week.
RegisterNeutralNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR levelB2-A2
Part of speechnounnoun
Collocationslegitimate, realistic, reasonable, issue, make, present, on demand, demand for, demand from, considerable, enormous, excessive, impose, make, place, demand on, demand upon, big, buoyant, considerable, level, accommodate, cope with, fulfil/​fulfill, grow, increase, rise, in demand, demand among, demand for, supply and demandneed help, need advice, need funds, need assistance, need supportspecial, legitimate, reasonable, make, put in, send, at somebody’s request, by request, on request, available on request, available upon request, by popular request, special, legitimate, reasonable, make, put in, send, at somebody’s request, by request, on request, available on request, available upon request, by popular request
Antonymssurrender, yield, give-refuse, decline
Common mistakesConfused with 'require' — 'demand' is stronger than 'require'., Using 'demand' without an object — it needs something to demand., Mixing it up with 'request' — 'request' is more polite.Confusing with 'need' vs 'want', Using 'gonna' in formal writing, Misplacing the pronoun when addressing someone directlyUsing 'request' with a different preposition, such as 'request for'., Confusing 'request' with 'require'., Not using it in the correct form, like 'requested' instead of 'requesting'.
Usage notesUse 'demand' when you want something with urgency or authority. It's neutral but can be seen as aggressive in casual situations. Avoid using it when making polite requests.Used when expressing the necessity of someone else's money. Appropriate in both casual and more serious contexts.Used in polite or formal contexts. It may sound too formal for casual conversations, where simpler words like 'ask' are preferred.

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Demand
I'm going to need her money
Request

Frequently asked questions: Demand vs I'm going to need her money vs Request

What's the difference between Demand, I'm going to need her money, and Request?

Demand: To ask for something forcefully. I'm going to need her money: I will require her money. Request: to ask for something

Which is more advanced: Demand, I'm going to need her money, and Request?

Demand is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Can you show an example of each?

Demand: The demand for organic food has been steadily increasing over the past few years. I'm going to need her money: In order to pay the bill, I'm going to need her money. Request: I would like to make a request for a day off next week.

Can I use Demand, I'm going to need her money, and Request interchangeably?

Not always. Demand, I'm going to need her money, and Request are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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