Breakdown of Она должна приготовить ужин сегодня вечером.
приготовить
to prepare
ужин
the dinner
она
she
должен
to have to
Questions & Answers about Она должна приготовить ужин сегодня вечером.
What is the function of должна in this sentence?
Должна is a modal adjective meaning “must” or “have to.” It expresses necessity and is used with an infinitive (приготовить) to say that doing something is required.
Why is должна in the feminine form?
Because the subject она (“she”) is feminine. Russian modal adjectives должен/должна/должно/должны agree in gender and number with their subject. For “he must” you would say он должен, for “they must” они должны, etc.
Why is the perfective infinitive приготовить used here instead of the imperfective готовить?
Russian has two aspects:
• Perfective (приготовить) indicates a completed action (“to cook and finish”).
• Imperfective (готовить) indicates an ongoing or habitual action (“to be cooking” or “to cook regularly”).
Since the sentence refers to preparing dinner as a single, completed event tonight, the perfective приготовить is appropriate.
How would I make this sentence negative?
Simply insert не before the modal adjective:
Она не должна приготовить ужин сегодня вечером.
This means “She doesn’t have to cook dinner tonight.”