Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 8: 12/18

ないとMust, Have to

ないとならない is generally not used and is best avoided

Structure

Verb[ない]+ + (いけない(1)

(1) だめ

Details

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    Casual

About ないと

As an extension of the 'if' meaning of , attaching the auxiliary verb ない to the verb before it will express 'if (A) is not done, (B)'. (B) is most frequently いけない 'cannot go', which makes ないといけない a double negative phrase, which translates to 'must do (A)', or 'have to do (A)'.

いけない may be replaced with だめ, to make the phrase more casual, but ならない is generally not used with ないと.

ないといけない is regularly abbreviated to ないと, but has exactly the same meaning in these cases.

Caution

As has the 'and' nuance, it gives ないと a level of strength that is not seen in similar phrases like なければいけない, or なくてはいけない. Because of this, ないと is often used to highlight things which absolutely 'must' be done (obeying the law, adhering to customs, using common sense, etc.).

  • 歩行者(ほこうしゃ)信号機(しんごうき)(まも)ないといけない
    Even pedestrians have to obey traffic lights.

Examples

--:--

    約束(やくそく)(まも)らないといけません!」

    'You have to keep your promise!' (must)

    「なぜ、税金(ぜいきん)(はら)わないといけないのです?」

    'Why do I have to pay taxes?' (must)

    ()沢山(だくさん)から一週間(いっしゅうかん)三十回(さんじゅうかい)洗濯(せんたく)しないとだめ。」

    'There are lots of children, so I have to do laundry thirty times a week.' (must)

    合格(ごうかく)たらまず両親(りょうしん)先生(せんせい)(つた)えないと。」

    'If I pass, I have to tell my parents and teacher first!' (must)

    「ピーナッツにアレルギーがある()っておかないといけないんだ。」

    'I have to tell (you) in advance that I am allergic to peanuts.' (must)

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      ないと – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (16 in total)

      • Pushindawood

        Pushindawood

        must
        have to

        Structure

        • Verb[ ない ] + + いけない / だめ
        • Verb[ ない ] +

        ないとならない is generally not used and is best avoided

        [ないと(いけない) is used to express some duty, a necessity, or the responsibility of a speaker or other people due to law, customs, common sense, etc.]

        [と originates from と (if, when), but it doesn’t have its restrictions]

        [だめ is more casual than いけない. Both だめ and いけない can be omitted in casual language. ないと(いけない) is quite common as it is easier to produce/pronounce since you simply attach と to the negative short form and the rest (いけない・だめ...

      • darkness_rising

        darkness_rising

        In this example,

        「なぜ、税金を はらわないといけない のですか?」

        Is the reason that いけない must be included and it can’t just be はらわないと because the のです implies that the sentence is being spoken formally/without abbreviation?

      • matt_in_mito

        matt_in_mito

        I think you’re half right, by which I mean it is because the のですか is there, but It’s not because it’s a formal sentence. It’s because the abbreviated form はらわないと finishes a sentence and doesn’t connect to anything else. It does definitely have a more casual nuance, but even if you add it onto a casual sentence ending particle (for example なぜ、税金をはらわないとの?) it still wouldn’t be natural since the sentence doesn’t end on と.

      • darkness_rising

        darkness_rising

        Oh, ok! Thank you!

      • Pep95

        Pep95

        Found a weird error when hovering over the grammar point text

      • Pushindawood

        Pushindawood

        @Pep95 Nice spot! Thank you for drawing this to our attention so that we could get it fixed. Cheers!

      • FredKore

        FredKore

        Is this hint supposed to say “long form of the verb”? (otherwise, I don’t understand what “short form” means here)

      • hergimerc

        hergimerc

        Does this grammar point has the same meaning with 〜なくてはいけない/ならない?

      • CrisH

        CrisH

        日本にほんではいえがるとき、くつぬがないといけません。」
        I was wondering if there’s anything wrong with using べき in this case? I put it in but it didn’t say “Not that one”, or any of the usual hints for similar points.

      • Daru

        Daru

        @FredKore
        Short form refers to all casual forms.

        @hergimerc
        Yes! The intensity/certainty varies between them, but the basic meaning is the same. Check out the recently added Writeups for more information!

        @CrisH
        It’s not that it’s wrong, it’s just that this specific Study Question wants you to review ないといけない.

        Hope this helps, everyone!

      • CrisH

        CrisH

        Hi Daru,

        In that case, would it be possible to add that as one of the forms that throws up a hint rather than being marked wrong?

        Thanks,
        Cris

      • Daru

        Daru

        Not really, because it gives ないと a level of strength that is not seen in similar phrases like なければいけない, or なくてはいけない. Because of this, ないと is often used to highlight things which absolutely ‘must’ be done (obeying the law, adhering to customs, using common sense, etc.).

        In other words, although it IS the same basic meaning of ‘this mustn’t be done’ , the tone here is so strong its important to clarify.

      • CrisH

        CrisH

        So it’s the difference between ‘should’ (べき) and ‘must’ (ないと), then?

      • FredKore

        FredKore

        Since the hint given in the [] is the verb する, I read “the short form of the verb” to mean “the short form of the verb する”, which it’s already in short form, so the blue text hint is still confusing. I’m guessing the blue text hint was originally written for another near miss answer. So, how do we distinguish between “short form” しないと and “short form” しないといけない?
        How about: “short form, but not that short, but not as long as long form, but using two shorts that don’t make a long”

      • Daru

        Daru

        Not all that short.

      • Pixel_Vapour

        Pixel_Vapour

        <...
      • IcyIceBear

        IcyIceBear

        Was looking at alternate acceptable answers… I’ve never seen 〜ですのです before? Is it actually acceptable or is it not taking the rest of the sentence into account

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