HSK 3 grammar · new HSK syllabus
应该, 得, 必须: should, have to, must
应该 should; 得 (děi) have to (spoken); 必须 must. Negatives: 不应该, 不用.
Structure
- Subject + 应该 / 得 (děi) / 必须 + verb
How it works
应该 gives advice or what is right: 你应该多休息.
得, read děi, is spoken and means “have to”: 我得走了.
必须 is strongest: something is required: 考试的时候必须带护照.
The negative of “have to” is 不用 (no need), not 不得 or 不必须: 你不用来.
Examples
-
你感冒了，应该多喝水。
Nǐ gǎnmào le, yīnggāi duō hē shuǐ.
You have a cold; you should drink more water.
-
太晚了，我得回家了。
Tài wǎn le, wǒ de huí jiā le.
It’s late. I have to go home.
-
考试的时候必须带身份证。
Kǎoshì de shíhou bìxū dài shēnfènzhèng.
You must bring your ID to the exam.
-
明天不上课，你不用来。
Míngtiān bú shàngkè, nǐ búyòng lái.
There’s no class tomorrow; you don’t need to come.
-
你不应该一个人去。
Nǐ bù yīnggāi yí gè rén qù.
You shouldn’t go on your own.
Words in these examples (28)
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 感冒 | gǎnmào | to catch a cold; a cold | HSK 3 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 应该 | yīnggāi | should | HSK 3 |
| 多 | duō | many; much; (in questions) how | HSK 1 |
| 喝 | hē | to drink | HSK 1 |
| 水 | shuǐ | water | HSK 1 |
| 太 | tài | too; extremely | HSK 1 |
| 晚 | wǎn | late; evening | HSK 1 |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 得 | de | (particle after a verb before a description of how it is done, as in 说得很好) | HSK 2 |
| 回 | huí | to return; to go back | HSK 1 |
| 家 | jiā | home; family; (measure word for shops and companies) | HSK 1 |
| 考试 | kǎoshì | exam; to take an exam | HSK 2 |
| 的 | de | (particle linking a describer to a noun, like "'s") | HSK 1 |
| 时候 | shíhou | time; when (as in …的时候) | HSK 1 |
| 必须 | bìxū | must; have to | HSK 3 |
| 带 | dài | to bring; to take along | HSK 3 |
| 身份证 | shēnfènzhèng | ID card | HSK 4 |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | HSK 1 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 上课 | shàngkè | to have class; to start class | HSK 1 |
| 不用 | búyòng | no need to | HSK 3 |
| 来 | lái | to come | HSK 1 |
| 一 | yī | one | HSK 1 |
| 个 | gè | (general measure word) | HSK 1 |
| 人 | rén | person; people | HSK 1 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗你不得来。
✓你不用来。
The negative of 得 (have to) is 不用.
-
✗我应该去了昨天。
✓我昨天应该去。
Time before the verb; no 了 after 应该.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 你身体不好， 多休息。
2. 明天放假，你 上班。
3. 上飞机以前 关手机。