Let me know if you need anything (2024)

Once more, you should tell us which one you think is best, or which one you like least.

And a little bit of Context and Background. Are you thinking of things the person might need in the present or future, or needed in the past? We can guess the context, but sometimes we guess wrong.

I can't think of a situation where you would say: "Let me know if you needed anything".

In the context you presented, "Let me know if you need anything" makes perfect sense.

Both your sentences refer to the future.

Let me know if you needed anything.

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See Also

How to write an email to inform something? We’ll guide you step by step!How to Send Better Email: 7 Ways To Level Up Your EmailsShould You Have Any Questions - Star Language Blogkindly let me know your availability or please let me know your availability?

This sentence tells me that if the person needed anything you would help her. You don't expect that he or she will need anything at all. But one never knows for sure. You might as well say: Let me know if you should need anything at all. But this construction sounds quite formal.

Let me know if you need anything.

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This sentence tells me that if the person needs anything you will help her. The possibility that the person may need something is real.

wolfbm1 said:

Both your sentences refer to the future.

This sentence tells me that if the person needed anything you would help her. You don't expect that he or she will need anything at all. But one never knows for sure. You might as well say: Let me know if you should need anything at all. But this construction sounds quite formal.

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I disagree. Let me know if you needed anything would be used in this context only:
A person was not available to help you if you needed anything during your stay somewhere/while you were working on something/etc. However, they will be available for other people in the future, and want to make sure anything you needed (but didn't have) will be available to them. A very strange and specific context.

I agree with Zolina, and disagree with wolfbm1.

Let me know if you needed anything is looking for an answer about the past, and not the future. Suppose I am asking for a critique of some kind of kit intended to be used in an activity, or for comments about the service at a hotel. I want to know if the kit, or the service, was complete, or if (because it was incomplete or unsatisfactory in some way) the kit user or hotel guest needed something that was not provided at the time. In trying to determine what the experience of the person actually was, I might say "Let me know if you needed anything."

Let me know if you need anything is about the present: you are being directed to say if you need anything now. However, the present may also be used to refer to the future (as in I arrive on the noon train next Tuesday), and so this can also be understood to mean that if you need something in the future you should let the writer know it.

wolfbm1 said:

I googled: “let me know” “if you needed anything” and I found this (although there are a lot of these expressions as well: wanted to know if you needed anything):
“Have a look at the source, and you should be able to figure it all out.
Let me know if you needed anything further. Cheers.” Source: http://cartthrob.com/forums/viewthread/2381/

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This is a very good example of a correct use of if you needed. He does refer to the past, though. He is saying "Here is my explanation. If there was something else you had a question about (If you needed anything further) let me know."

wolfbm1 said:

and this: “Hey Jana how are you hun? I am getting rid of some clothing if you needed anything for your work let me know there are a few things that might be handy im not sure, they are small if you are interested let me know. Take care –Maddy” Source: http://www.myspace.com/yanathestar
In the examples above, the phrase „if you needed” can’t refer to the past, can it?

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This does not refer to the past. I would ask some consensus from other native English speakers, because I am going back and forth on this one. It sounds right to my ear, but when I think about it it seems absolutely wrong. My tentative explanation is that this is an incorrect use of if you needed.It should read "if you need anything for your work." I think my ear, and the author might be confusing the "past" subjective "if you were" with the need for a past in this construction. Thus, the phrase could also read "if you were to need anything" (this is a very formal construction though, it does not fit the context.

Zolina said:

This is a very good example of a correct use of if you needed. He does refer to the past, though. He is saying "Here is my explanation. If there was something else you had a question about (If you needed anything further) let me know."

This does not refer to the past. I would ask some consensus from other native English speakers, because I am going back and forth on this one. It sounds right to my ear, but when I think about it it seems absolutely wrong. My tentative explanation is that this is an incorrect use of if you needed.It should read "if you need anything for your work." I think my ear, and the author might be confusing the "past" subjective "if you were" with the need for a past in this construction. Thus, the phrase could also read "if you were to need anything" (this is a very formal construction though, it does not fit the context.

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Thank you, Zolina. Your explanation is very interesting. There must be something about the expression "if you needed" which I don't quite understand. I thought that it could expresses a condition that could be fulfilled any time in the future.

LilianaB said:

Just in case you needed, perhaps? I mean, would that be what you meant? You could say: Should you need anything else, please let me know. This might sound a little bit outdated, I am not sure. It may be too formal. This expression is used in legal letters quite often.

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Thanks, Liliana. That's what I meant. Is there a big difference between "in case you needed" and "if you needed". I guess there is ...

wolfbm1 said:

It looks like my English language instincts have failed me again.
How would you put it if you wanted to say that something is not very likely to happen and you didn’t want to use the construction “if you should need”.
I googled: “let me know” “if you needed anything” and I found this (although there are a lot of these expressions as well: wanted to know if you needed anything):
“Have a look at the source, and you should be able to figure it all out.
Let me know if you needed anything further. Cheers.” Source: http://cartthrob.com/forums/viewthread/2381/

and this: “Hey Jana how are you hun? I am getting rid of some clothing if you needed anything for your work let me know there are a few things that might be handy im not sure, they are small if you are interested let me know. Take care –Maddy” Source: http://www.myspace.com/yanathestar
In the examples above, the phrase „if you needed” can’t refer to the past, can it?

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I consider both of these to be errors. Both should be "need", not "needed". They are referring to a future need, not a past need.

It is possible to create valid contexts for a past reference "if you needed" in association with "let me know", but these are (see above) somewhat contrived.

wolfbm1 said:

Both your sentences refer to the future.

This sentence tells me that if the person needed anything you would help her. You don't expect that he or she will need anything at all. But one never knows for sure. You might as well say: Let me know if you should need anything at all. But this construction sounds quite formal.

This sentence tells me that if the person needs anything you will help her. The possibility that the person may need something is real.

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I totally agree with wolfbm1, and I could not have explained it better.

In fact, this typical formula to end letters follows the same logic as third type conditionals. The same meaning of an unlikely future possibility exists in "If I went to the party (but I have no intention to go now), however if I changed my mind, if this was the case, I would let you know". Or else, "If I were you" also uses the past, and am I not talking about an hypothetical case?. The key is that the past tense verb is preceded by if, hence the hypothesis.

I hope this helps.