modality N4 common casualpolite
〜ないと — have to ~
〜ないと ・ ないと
Builds on ない形
Meaning
- have to ~ / I'd better ~ — lit. 'if I don't ~ (it'll be bad)', with the consequence left unspoken
Key sentence
もう行かないと。
I have to go now.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb (negative) | V-ない + と | 行かないと / 飲まないと |
Examples
明日までにこれを終わらせないと。
I've got to finish this by tomorrow.
薬を飲まないと、よくならないよ。
If you don't take your medicine, you won't get better.
早く予約しないと、席がなくなる。
We'd better book soon, or there won't be any seats left.
When you can't use it
- The と is a conditional ('if not ~'); the consequence (いけない／だめ／困る) is normally dropped in speech, leaving an implied '...or it'll be bad.' Spelling out 行かないといけない is the fuller, slightly more explicit version.
Easily confused with
〜ないといけない 〜ないと is the clipped everyday form; 〜ないといけない states the full 'if not, no good.' Same obligation, ないと just trails off. 〜なければならない なければならない is the neutral/written 'must'; 〜ないと is its casual spoken cousin. Use ないと in conversation, なければならない in writing. なくては Three conditional bases all lead to 'must': ないと (と-conditional, most colloquial), なくては (て-form + は), なければ (ば-conditional, most neutral).
See 〜ないと in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜ないと the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.