nakute - must

I just got through the lessons 3.5 and 3.10. As I understood, nakute means must. Now the question is: why is there the ikemasen added too ? example1: Why is the verb "IKU" used twice in lesson 3.5 ? - Kyou ikanakute wa ikemasen ka ? wouldn't it have been enough to say: kyou wa ikanakute ka ? example2: Sushi o tabenakute wa ikemasen - the lessons states is as: I have to eat sushi. But isn't it enough to say: sushi o tabenakute ? コッド

コッドさん、 "-kute" is added when the auxiliary -nai is added to the stem of the verb. It's the -te form of the verb with -nai. By itself, it means "VERB and" Using your example: Sushi o taberu-I eat sushi.>sushi o tabenai-I don't eat sushi.>sushi o tabenakute This means (I) don't eat sushi and..., so it's not really a complete statement. This I think explains why you cannot just say "kyou wa ikanakute ka" (I don't go today and...) You could use the -kute for example with this: ゾムビーのじんせいは、はじめなくてもおわらない。 The life of a zombie does't begin or end. I would guess that (verb-kute wa ikemasen) would be an idiomatic expression. Some other things you might want to know about this expression: ikemasen can be replace with ikenai (less formal, more conversational) or naranai/narimasen (more formal). -kute wa can be abbreviated to -nakucha. You can also use verb-nakereba ikenai/ikemasen/naranai/narimasen to mean the same thing. -nakareba can be abbreviated to -nakya or -nakerya. Hope this helps.

So basically, as the lesson states: Kyou ikanakute wa ikemasen ka? would literally translate as: We don't go today and can we not go ? I still don't understand how that would mean: Do we have to(must we) go today ? Sorry, but this one is not logical for me right now and I don't usually take things as granted. So a little more explanation would be welcome please :).

No problem! Ikemasen/ikenai can also mean "to not do/to be of no use/no good", as in "this will not do!" Even though it's derived from "iku", this meaning is an expression. The literal translation of "sushi o tabenakute wa ikenai" would be "It won't do do (If I) do not eat sushi. In this construct, the -kute is just used to connect two verbs, as I'm sure you'll see it does. It connects the "taberu" with the "iku". So yeah, Lieterally, the "Verbneg+kute+wa+ikenai/ikemasen construct means "It's no good if (subject) don't/doesn't do VERB" Naranai/narimasen is derived from naru (to become), but it is an expression which can mean unbearably/ irresistably. So literally, "Sushi o tabenakute wa naranai. literally means "I cannot resist not eating" Talk about double negatives :) I hope this helps.

so it doesn't necessarily mean "must"... So there I ask again: how should I use it in order to mean "must" ? Would you be so kind as to give me more examples of sentences :). I usually get it better from examples than explanations (for example: when I work o creating a computer program, I usually work out some examples to understand how the program work before I start writing the code). That was just an example of how I use examples for a better understanding of something. Sorry, I'm a stubborn guy usually :D.

Just realized I didn't explain the connection. The "must" is implied. This construction *means* must/to have to do something. Eg. Ginkou ni ikanakute wa ikemasen. It is no good if I do not go to the bank. If its no good if I don't go to the bank, then I must go the the bank, right? Similarly, Ringo o kawanakute wa ikenai. It's no good (if I) don't buy apples, therefore, I have to buy apples (in order for it to be "good"). Kusuri o nomanakucha naranai yo! I can't resist taking my medicine, therefore, I must take my medicine. (this is literally a double negative: Not taking my medicine is irresistible, which doesn't make sense, since not taking medicine being irresistible means that taking it is resistible, hence negating the "must" aspect. Think of it more as "must not do" as in, (I) must not do the act of not taking the medicine, which makes more sense) Benkyou shinakute wa ikenai. It's no good (if I) don't study, therefore I must study. Another thing, in informal conversation, you can drop the "ikenai, etc.", so "ikanakucha" infers "I must go", just by itself. Tabenakucha>I must eat.., etc. I hope this finally clears this up. Cheers.

Way better, now I understand it clearly :). ありがとうございました、パスカルさん！もっといいだね！ コッド

You're welcome