Must (bâyad)

Expressing Obligation: Must (باید)

To express that someone "must" or "has to" do something, use باید.

The word باید is an impersonal modal verb, meaning it never changes form regardless of the subject. When using باید, the main verb goes to the end of the clause in the present subjunctive.

Subject + باید + [Rest of Sentence] + Present Subjunctive

Compound Verbs with "Must"

With compound verbs, only the verbal part (the final word) changes to the subjunctive. The non-verbal part stays exactly as is.

Using "To Be" in Obligations

If the obligation involves a state of being (such as "must be careful"), use the subjunctive form of "to be", built on the stem باش (e.g., باشیم for "we be", باشید for "you be").

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