Part 28 - Should / Must / Have to

Part 28.1 - ~해야 해요 — should / must / have to

Basic Information

The expression ~해야 해요 is used to say that someone **should**, **must**, or **has to** do something.
It expresses **obligation**, **necessity**, or a **strong suggestion**.
It is often translated as:

• should
• must
• have to
• ought to

Grammar Rule

Here’s how to use it:

• Verb stem + 하다 → 해야 해요
• For 하다 verbs, simply replace 하다 with 해야 해요

Usage: add **~해야 해요** to express that something is necessary or required to do.

Example Sentences

Korean	English
숙제해야 해요.	I have to do my homework.
운동해야 해요.	I must exercise.
일해야 해요.	I have to work.
한국어 공부해야 해요.	I must study Korean.
약 먹어야 해요.	I should take medicine.

Important Notes

• ~해야 해요 is used for **present tense** obligations. To talk about the past, you can use ~해야 했어요 (had to).
• This is a polite, neutral way to talk about things that are necessary or required.
• It can also be used to give advice ("You should...").

Summary

Use ~해야 해요 to:

• Express obligation or necessity
• Give strong advice
• Say that something must be done

It’s a very useful and common expression in everyday Korean!

Common TOPIK I Patterns

• Verb stem + 해야 해요 → should / must / have to do (Verb)
• 지금 + Verb stem + 해야 해요 → I have to do (Verb) now
• 꼭 + Verb stem + 해야 해요 → You really must do (Verb)

End of Lesson

Now you know how to use **~해야 해요** to talk about obligations and necessities in Korean!
This is a key grammar pattern you will use a lot in daily conversations.
Practice making sentences about what you must do — it will help you sound more natural! 🎉

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