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Lesson 21A2

Modal Verbs: must, should, have to

सहायक क्रियाएँ: must, should, have to

English has three separate ways to express obligation, each carrying a different shade of strictness — and Hindi actually draws a similar three-way distinction, though it builds each one on a dative subject (मुझे, तुम्हें) plus the infinitive, rather than a subject plus modal verb.

Grammar Comparison

व्याकरण तुलना

must/should/have to ≈ होगा/चाहिए/पड़ना — matching strengths, different subject marking

English

You must stop. (strong, often a rule) / You should rest. (advice) / You have to register. (necessity)

Hindi

तुम्हें रुकना ही होगा। / तुम्हें आराम करना चाहिए। / मुझे पंजीकरण करना पड़ेगा।

Hindi separates these same three shades of obligation: चाहिए is reserved for gentle advice (तुम्हें आराम करना चाहिए, 'you should rest'), ...ना पड़ना marks a necessity imposed by circumstances (मुझे पंजीकरण करना पड़ेगा, 'I have to register'), and ...ना ही होगा or अनिवार्य है signals a strong, rule-like obligation (तुम्हें रुकना ही होगा, 'you must stop'). The mapping onto must/should/have to is close enough to lean on directly. The one habit to unlearn: Hindi builds all three around a dative-marked subject (मुझे, तुम्हें, उसे — literally 'to me', 'to you') plus the plain infinitive, with no separate 'modal verb' at all, whereas English keeps a normal subject (I, you) directly in front of must/should/have to.

Vocabulary

शब्दावली

EnglishPronunciationHindi
You must stop.yoo must stopतुम्हें रुकना ही होगा।tumheñ ruknā hī hogā.
You should rest.yoo shood restतुम्हें आराम करना चाहिए।tumheñ ārām karnā cāhie.
I have to register.eye hav too REJ-is-terमुझे पंजीकरण करना पड़ेगा।mujhe pañjīkaraṇ karnā paṛegā.
You don't have to come.yoo dohnt hav too kumतुम्हें आने की ज़रूरत नहीं है।tumheñ āne kī zarūrat nahīñ hai.