なくちゃ・なきゃ
Gotta
About
なくちゃ and なきゃ both mean "have to", and are casual, spoken Japanese.
To form a "have to" statement using なくちゃ or なきゃ, attach them to a negative verb stem. A negative verb stem is formed by removing ない from the end of a casual negative verb.
Verb | Negative Casual form | Negative Verb Stem |
|---|---|---|
する | しない | し |
行く | 行かない | 行か |
食べる | 食べない | 食べ |
Often, sentences end in なくちゃ/なきゃ, leaving much of the surrounding context implied. Since なくちゃ and なきゃ are very casual, they should be avoided in polite/formal situations.
なくちゃ sounds slightly more childish/girly than なきゃ.
Attach なくちゃ or なきゃ to a negative verb stem to form a casual "have to" statement
なくちゃ sounds slightly childish/girly
Summary
Explained in
elementary #40
～なくちゃ・なきゃ "Have to..."
Example Sentences
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