ないといけない ⇒ なあかん

About ないといけない ⇒ なあかん

As a replacement for the obligatory negative statements in standard Japanese (ないといけない, なければいけない, なくてはだめ, etc), なあかん may be used in 関西弁(かんさいべん). あかん itself is a 関西弁(かんさいべん) word that means 'useless', or 'no good', and is utilized almost as a direct replacement for だめ.

な will pair with the standard negative form of any verb, before adding あかん straight after it. な itself in this structure is an abbreviation of the auxiliary verb ない, in which い has been omitted. なあかん can be translated as 'must do (A)', but more literally is 'not doing (A) is no good'.

Caution

As with many other grammar points, する will appear slightly differently in 関西弁(かんさいべん) when partnered with なあかん. The most common form that する will be seen in is せなあかん. せ is the negative base of する in Kansai dialect, followed by な (rather than the customary へん).

まだまだ練習(れんしゅう)せなあかんな。

I still have to keep practicing.
子供(こども)がああいう事(こと)したらちゃんと注意(ちゅうい)せなあかんで。

When your kid does something like that, you have to warn them about it.

Fun Fact

More correctly, な is an abbreviation of なければ, the hypothetical form of ない that has been paired with the conjunction particle ば. However, in standard speech, なあかん can realistically replace any obligatory negative structure, not just なければ.

Examples

--:--

全部(ぜんぶ)食(た)べないといけない。
全部(ぜんぶ)たべなあかん。

You have to eat everything.

明日(あした)の朝(あさ)までに宿題(しゅくだい)を終(お)わらせないといけない。
明日(あした)の朝(あさ)までに宿題(しゅくだい)をおわらせなあかん。

I have to finish my homework by tomorrow morning.

だめ！だめだめだめ。ここから乗(の)ったらダメ、あそこから乗(の)らないといけない。
あかん！あかんあかんあかん。ここから乗(の)ったらあかん、あそこからのらなあかん。

No! No, no, no. You cannot get in from here. You have to get on from there.

毎日(まいにち)薬(くすり)を飲(の)まないといけないと医者(いしゃ)に言(い)われた。
毎日(まいにち)薬(くすり)のまなあかんと医者(いしゃ)に言(ゆ)われた。

Doctor told me that I have to drink the medicine everyday.

はやく部屋(へや)を片付(かたづ)けないといけない。
はよ部屋(へや)をかたづけなあかん。

I have to clean my room quickly.

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