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文法 · JLPT N5 grammar
〜なければならない
nakereba naranai · must ~, have to ~
〜なければならない means must: 行かなければならない, I have to go. In speech it shortens to 〜なきゃ or 〜ないと.
How to form it
| V-ない (drop い) + ければならない | 行かなければならない |
| 〜なければなりません (polite) | 書かなければなりません |
| 〜ないと (casual) | 行かないと |
How it is used
〜なければいけない means the same and sounds a little more conversational.
Not having to is 〜なくてもいい: 「明日は来なくてもいいです」.
Examples
Tap a kanji for its reading.
- 明日までにレポートを出さなければなりません。I have to hand in the report by tomorrow.
- 毎日薬を飲まなければなりません。I have to take medicine every day.
- もう帰らないと。I have to go home now.
- 八時に駅に着かなければならない。I have to be at the station by eight.
Practice: 5 JLPT questions using 〜なければならない
あした 早く （ ）なければ なりません。
I have to get up early tomorrow.
あしたは しけんなので、今夜は （ ）。
There is a test tomorrow, so I have to study tonight.
この 薬は 一日 三回 飲ま（ ）なりません。
You must take this medicine three times a day.
どうして 朝 早く 行きますか。
There's a small bakery near my house. It opens at seven in the morning and closes when the bread runs out — usually around two in the afternoon. It's closed on Wednesdays, and also on the last Sunday of the month. It's popular, so unless you go early you can't get the bread you want.
Q: Why go early in the morning? — Because the bread you want sells out.
（ ）に入る言葉を選びなさい。
I bought a new microwave. The manual was thick and hard to read. But I couldn't work out how to use it without reading it, so I made myself read it.