Questions & Answers about Du må være tålmodig.
What does må mean in this sentence and how is it used?
må is a modal verb from å måtte, meaning must or have to. It expresses necessity or obligation. In Norwegian, modal verbs like må are followed by an infinitive, so må være = “must be.”
How is Du må være tålmodig different from the imperative Vær tålmodig?
- Du må være tålmodig (“You have to be patient”) states a requirement or necessity.
- Vær tålmodig! (“Be patient!”) is a direct command (imperative).
In the imperative you drop the subject pronoun and start with the verb; with a modal you keep du.
Why do you need være before tålmodig? Can you say Du må tålmodig?
tålmodig is an adjective, and to link a subject to an adjective you need the copula være (“to be”). You cannot say Du må tålmodig—that’s ungrammatical. The correct structure is må + infinitive (være) + adjective.