〜なくちゃいけない: This phrase means you "have to" or "must" do something. It is a casual way to say you really need to do it.

Dictionary

〜なくちゃいけない

This phrase means you "have to" or "must" do something. It is a casual way to say you really need to do it.

N3 KMT4CasualAuxiliary ConstructionSpoken OnlyContracted ObligationGrammar

Verb [なくちゃ-form] + いけないPrimary

This phrase means you "have to" or "must" do something. It is a casual way to say you really need to do it.

ごめん、買い物に行かなくちゃいけないから、先に行ってて。

Sorry, I have to go shopping, so go on ahead without me.

CasualNon PastAffirmativeMid SentenceObligationDaily Life Food & Dining

昨日はレポートを終わらせなくちゃいけなかったから、寝不足だよ。

I had to finish my report yesterday, so I'm sleep-deprived.

CasualPastAffirmativeMid SentenceObligationWork & Career Education

この薬は食後に飲まなくちゃいけないんじゃなかった？

Didn't I have to take this medicine after meals?

CasualPastAffirmativeSentence EndingObligationMedicine & Health

彼は「もう行かなくちゃいけない」と言って、席を立った。

He said, 'I've got to go now,' and stood up from his seat.

NeutralNon PastAffirmativeMid SentenceObligationDaily Life

そろそろ本気で就活しなくちゃいけないなあって、最近思うんだ。

Lately, I've been thinking that I really have to start job hunting seriously soon.

CasualNon PastAffirmativeMid SentenceObligationWork & Career Education

This phrase means 'it's not good'. So, it feels like 'I must do this, or something bad will happen'. It is a bit different from just saying 'I have to do this'.

This is like 'nakya ikenai'. Both mean 'must do'. They are both casual ways to speak. 'Nakya ikenai' is used a bit more often. Both are much more casual than 'nakereba naranai'.

Don't use this when you are writing a formal letter. This phrase is only for talking. It is too casual for formal writing. Use longer phrases for formal writing.

Use this when you want to say you "have to" do something. It shows you feel a strong need to do it. It is like saying "I gotta" in English.

Often confused with(1)

〜なきゃいけない

You use this phrase to say you 'must' do something. It means you 'have to' do it. It is a shorter way to say a longer phrase.

More formal alternatives(1)

〜なくちゃ

A casual, spoken contraction expressing obligation or necessity, equivalent to 'must' or 'have to'. It is a contracted form of 〜なくてはいけない or 〜なくてはならない.

Less formal alternatives(2)

〜なくてはいけない

This grammar means you must do something. It shows that an action is very important to do.

〜なくてはならない

Expresses a strong necessity or obligation, equivalent to 'must do' or 'have to do'. It implies that not performing the action or not being in the state is unacceptable.

ない形

This is how you make a verb negative. It means "do not" or "will not." It is the casual way to say 〜ません.

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Dictionary

〜なくちゃいけない

This phrase means you "have to" or "must" do something. It is a casual way to say you really need to do it.

N3 KMT4CasualAuxiliary ConstructionSpoken OnlyContracted ObligationGrammar

Verb [なくちゃ-form] + いけないPrimary

This phrase means you "have to" or "must" do something. It is a casual way to say you really need to do it.

ごめん、買い物に行かなくちゃいけないから、先に行ってて。

Sorry, I have to go shopping, so go on ahead without me.

CasualNon PastAffirmativeMid SentenceObligationDaily Life Food & Dining

昨日はレポートを終わらせなくちゃいけなかったから、寝不足だよ。

I had to finish my report yesterday, so I'm sleep-deprived.

CasualPastAffirmativeMid SentenceObligationWork & Career Education

この薬は食後に飲まなくちゃいけないんじゃなかった？

Didn't I have to take this medicine after meals?

CasualPastAffirmativeSentence EndingObligationMedicine & Health

彼は「もう行かなくちゃいけない」と言って、席を立った。

He said, 'I've got to go now,' and stood up from his seat.

NeutralNon PastAffirmativeMid SentenceObligationDaily Life

そろそろ本気で就活しなくちゃいけないなあって、最近思うんだ。

Lately, I've been thinking that I really have to start job hunting seriously soon.

CasualNon PastAffirmativeMid SentenceObligationWork & Career Education

This phrase means 'it's not good'. So, it feels like 'I must do this, or something bad will happen'. It is a bit different from just saying 'I have to do this'.

This is like 'nakya ikenai'. Both mean 'must do'. They are both casual ways to speak. 'Nakya ikenai' is used a bit more often. Both are much more casual than 'nakereba naranai'.

Don't use this when you are writing a formal letter. This phrase is only for talking. It is too casual for formal writing. Use longer phrases for formal writing.

Use this when you want to say you "have to" do something. It shows you feel a strong need to do it. It is like saying "I gotta" in English.

Often confused with(1)

〜なきゃいけない

You use this phrase to say you 'must' do something. It means you 'have to' do it. It is a shorter way to say a longer phrase.

More formal alternatives(1)

〜なくちゃ

A casual, spoken contraction expressing obligation or necessity, equivalent to 'must' or 'have to'. It is a contracted form of 〜なくてはいけない or 〜なくてはならない.

Less formal alternatives(2)

〜なくてはいけない

This grammar means you must do something. It shows that an action is very important to do.

〜なくてはならない

Expresses a strong necessity or obligation, equivalent to 'must do' or 'have to do'. It implies that not performing the action or not being in the state is unacceptable.

ない形

This is how you make a verb negative. It means "do not" or "will not." It is the casual way to say 〜ません.

Track your mastery

Kumi's KMT system tracks your mastery across kanji, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. Create a free account to use it on 220,000+ concepts.

〜なくちゃいけない

Patterns1

Meaning

Examples5

Nuance1

Contrasts1

Restrictions1

Discourse Function1

Compare with4

Often confused with(1)

More formal alternatives(1)

Less formal alternatives(2)

Prerequisites1

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〜なくちゃいけない

Patterns1

Meaning

Examples5

Nuance1

Contrasts1

Restrictions1

Discourse Function1

Compare with4

Often confused with(1)

More formal alternatives(1)

Less formal alternatives(2)

Prerequisites1

Track your mastery