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得 (děi) (must / have to)
IntroducedYour saved position stays in this browser. Resuming does not complete the lesson or answer its questions.
I have to go
- It is 9 p.m. and you still have an essay due tomorrow morning.
- I我have to得to walk走(completed / change)了，today今天evening晚上have to得to write写to finish完paper论文。 — "I have to go; I've got to finish my essay tonight."
have to得 (děi) + Verb = must, have to
- have to得 read děi before a verb = "must, have to", common in speech: I我have to得to walk走(completed / change)了, you你have to得earlier早点儿sleep睡.
- It expresses necessity or obligation.
you你have to得earlier早点儿sleep睡。
Complete (spoken): “I have to go now.” 我____走了。
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得 (děi) + verb = must.
Spoken necessity
- tomorrow明天there is有an exam考试，I我have to得revise复习。 — "There's an exam tomorrow; I have to revise."
- 这件matter事have to得to ask问teacher老师。 — "We'll have to ask the teacher about this."
tomorrow明天there is有an exam考试，I我have to得revise复习。
Build: “There's an exam tomorrow; I have to revise.”
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Reason, then 得 + verb.
The negative is need not不用
- "Don't have to" is need not不用, never must not不得: you你not不to be used for用来, not you你must not不得to come来.
- Read it děi only before a verb meaning "must"; after a verb (to run跑have to得rapid快) it is the particle de.
Which says “You don't have to come”?
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The negative of 得 (must) is 不用.
In 他跑得很快, 得 is read děi.
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After a verb, 得 is the particle de.
have to得 versus must必须 and want / will / need要
- must必须 is stronger and more formal: you你must必须bring带ID身份证.
- want / will / need要 can mean "need to / will": I我want / will / need要to go去bank银行. have to得 is the casual "have to".
you你must必须bring带ID身份证。
Recap
- have to得 (děi) + Verb = have to, must (spoken).
- Negative = need not不用; formal = must必须. After a verb, have to得 = de (complement).
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Auxiliary verbs.
It is 9 p.m. and you still have an essay due tomorrow morning. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.