795 - ~なければいけない

JLPT N4: ~なければいけない

Quick! Go review this lesson: [NDL #794] - JLPT N4: ~なければならない.

Then you can relax, since the lesson you're reading now essentially covers the same thing: Saying "must" or "have to."

The differences:

1) Instead of ~なければならない/~なければなりません, we're saying ~なければいけない/なければいけません.

So, ならない いけない.

2) While the meaning is pretty much the same (="must"), you'll find that it's especially common to use ~なければならない when talking about things that social norms demand one "must" do (a distinction of which I was unaware until I started writing this lesson).

3) ~なくてはならない and ~なくてはいけない basically mean the same thing as ~なければいけない. We'll talk about these other forms in an upcoming lesson.


Agh, all these kana combos! My head is spinning.

Let's look at an example:

もらった物は、大事にしなければいけない
もらった もの は、 だいじ に しなければいけない。
You must take (good) care of things you’ve received (as gifts).
Literally: “received + thing + は, + must value / must take care of (=important/valuable + に + must do).”

 



👷 Construction 👷

Weren't you paying attention in our last lesson?!

A refresher:

If you don't remember your ば-conditional conjugations, you should review this lesson: [NDL #736] - JLPT N4: ~ば.

You will see ~なければいけない being used with VERBS, i-adjectives, and na-adjectives and NOUNS in the following ways:

V なければいけない
i-adjective くなければいけない
na-adjective / NOUNなければいけない


Also, remember that ~なければ can morph into ~なきゃ, and the いけない part can be dropped.

Both of these changes are more common in spoken language.

Now, I think it's high time we drowned ourselves in example sentences...

 

パスワードは8字以上でなければいけません。また、誕生日や電話番号は使わないでください。
パスワード は はちじ いじょうでなければいけません。 また、 たんじょうび や でんわばんごう は つかわないで ください。
Your password must be at least eight characters. Also, please do not use things like birthdays, phone numbers, and so on.
Literally: “password + は + eight characters + at least / not less than + must be. + also, + birthday + や + phone number + は + don’t use (and) + please.”

 



ノートパソコンは軽くなきゃいけないよね。
ノートパソコン は かるくなきゃいけない よ ね。
Laptops need to be light, don’t you think?
Literally: “laptop (=notebook PC) + は + must be light (i.e. not heavy) + よ + ね.”

 



子供を迎えに行かなきゃいけないので、お先に失礼します。
こども を むかえ に いかなきゃいけない ので、 おさき に しつれい します。
I need to go pick up my kid(s), so I’ll be going now.
Literally: “children + を + must go to meet / must go pick up + because (=ので), + excuse me for leaving before you (=beforehand + に + discourtesy / impoliteness + do).”

 



料理に使う道具は清潔でなければ
りょうり に つかう どうぐ は せいけつでなければ。
Items used for cooking need to be clean.
Literally: “cooking + に + use + tools + は + must be clean.”

 



もう12時か。そろそろなきゃ
もう じゅうにじ か。 そろそろ ねなきゃ。
It’s already twelve? I need to get to bed.
Literally: “already + twelve o’clock + か. + soon + must go to sleep.”

 



Finished!

One more "must" lesson and you will be free of this tongue-twister hell you find yourself in now.

Be strong, fellow student.



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