Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 3: 22/23

ねばなら + ぬMust, Have to, Should

Rarely used in modern Japanese; mostly used in literature

Structure

Verb［ない］+ ねばならない

Exceptions:
する ￫ せねばならない

Details

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    Formal

About ねばならない

Unlike the standard ば form of hypothetical phrases, ねば makes use of the classical auxiliary verb ず in its ね form. However, the meaning is the same as the modern なければ 'if not (A)'. ねば connects to verbs in the same way as ない, and will then be followed by the negative form of なる 'to become', ならない.

Like なければならない, ねばならない will translate to 'must do (A)', or 'have to do (A)', and is simply a double negative that literally means 'if not (A), it won't be (B)'. This is a formal structure, and will mostly be found in literature.

As ね is a form of the literary auxiliary verb ず, the base of する will change to せねば, in the same way it changes to せず in other grammar patterns.

Caution

Sometimes ならない will be replaced with ならぬ. This has exactly the same meaning and just makes use of the ぬ attributive form of the same auxiliary verb, ず.

  • 社長(しゃちょう)には僕(ぼく)に任(まか)せてくださいと言(い)ったので、何(なに)があっても成功(せいこう)せねばならぬ。
    I told my boss to leave it to me, so no matter what happens, I must succeed.

While not changing the meaning at all, the addition of ぬ will make the overall expression sound even more old-fashioned.

Fun-fact

As with other 'must' double-negative structures, the second part of the ねばならない may sometimes be omitted, resulting in ねば or せねば appearing by itself. This is similar to the modern ないと appearing without いけない following it.

  • もうこんな時間(じかん)ですか、そろそろ帰(かえ)らねば。
    It's already so late! I must go home soon.
  • あなたたちは兄弟(きょうだい)でしょう？もっと仲良(なかよ)くせねば。
    You guys are siblings, aren't you? You guys have to be nice to each other.

Examples

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    家賃(やちん)を月末(げつまつ)までに払(はら)わねばならない。

    I have to pay rent by the end of the month.

    後輩(こうはい)の意見(いけん)もちゃんと聞(き)かねばならない。

    You must also listen to your kouhai's opinion.

    根本(こんぽん)的(てき)な構造(こうぞう)から見直(みなお)さねばならない。

    We must review the fundamental structure.

    見学(けんがく)した感想(かんそう)を書(か)いて提出(ていしゅつ)せねばならない。

    I must write and submit my impressions on the field trip.

    公衆(こうしゅう)の面前(めんぜん)ではちゃんと秩序(ちつじょ)を保(たも)たねばならない。

    I must maintain order in the presence of the general public.

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      ねばならない – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (5 in total)

      • lisaki8

        lisaki8

        Thank you for your reply. I will definitely add ねばならない to my JLPT2 review list.

        Could I suggest that the tag-line be changed to read something along the lines of:

        Rarely used in modern spoken Japanese; mostly used in literature

        Maybe that would be more accurate based on the fact that it is used in modern books?

      • nekoyama

        nekoyama

        TBH tags like this could just all be replaced with “don’t use this yourself”. On bunpro, something like “rarely used” usually just means “rare in comparison to other things we learn for the JLPT”. But none of these grammar points are really obscure. Otherwise they wouldn’t appear on the JLPT. The main point to take away from these tags is that it’s not the most normal thing to say.

      • lisaki8

        lisaki8

        Thank you. I’ll keep this in mind as I continue studying.

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