-malı/-məli (vacib şəkli)

The -malı/-məli suffix is a versatile tool for expressing necessity. Unlike English, which distinguishes between 'must' and 'should', Azerbaijani uses this single mood for both, often relying on context or adverbs like mütləq (definitely) to add emphasis. For a softer 'should', speakers also use gərək, and for an impersonal 'need to', they often use an infinitive + lazımdır construction (e.g., Mənə getmək lazımdır).

1. Formation:
The suffix follows vowel harmony:

• -malı: Used after back vowels (a, ı, o, u). Example: yazmalı (must write).
• -məli: Used after front vowels (e, ə, i, ö, ü). Example: getməli (must go).

2. Conjugation:
Because this is a personal mood, you must add personal endings to indicate who has the obligation. Since the necessity suffix always ends in a vowel, a buffer -y- is required before endings that start with a vowel (both the 1st person singular -am/-əm and 1st person plural -ıq/-ik).
Examples: Mən oxumalıyam (I must read), Biz oxumalıyıq (We must read).

For the second person, the endings -san/-sən (singular) and -sınız/-siniz (plural) are added directly without a buffer (e.g., sən oxumalısan, siz oxumalısınız).

For the third person, the -dır/-dir suffix is typically added in formal or complete speech (e.g., o getməlidir), though it is sometimes omitted in casual conversation.

3. Negation:
There are two ways to negate this mood:

• Using the negative suffix -ma/-mə: Added directly to the verb stem before the necessity suffix, this expresses a negative obligation ('must not' or 'should not', depending on context). Example: Gecikməməlisən (You must not be late).
• Using deyil: Placed after the necessity suffix (with personal endings attached to deyil), this can mean 'don't have to' (lack of obligation), but it is also frequently used interchangeably with prohibition to mean 'must not'. Example: Sən getməli deyilsən (You don't have to go / You must not go).

4. Questions:
To form a question, attach the yes-no question particle to the end of the conjugated verb. Example: Mən oxumalıyammı? (Must I read?). For negative questions using deyil, the question particle attaches to the end of the conjugated deyil. Example: Mən getməli deyiləmmi? (Don't I have to go?).

5. Past Necessity:
To express a past obligation ('had to' or 'should have'), use the past copula idi after the necessity suffix. In both spoken and written Azerbaijani, this is usually contracted (e.g., -malıydım).
Example: Mən getməli idim / getməliydim (I had to go / I should have gone).
For past negation, use the negative suffix for 'should not have' (e.g., getməməliydim) and deyil for 'didn't have to' or 'should not have' (e.g., getməli deyildim).

6. Secondary Use (Probability):
When used with the verb olmaq (to be), it can express a logical deduction or high probability.
Example: O, indi işdə olmalıdır (He must be at work now).

7. Adjectival Use (Worth Doing):
When placed directly before a noun without personal endings, the suffix acts as an adjective meaning 'worth doing' or 'must-do'.
Example: görməli yer (a place worth seeing), oxumalı kitab (a book worth reading).

Following Vowels:
After -malı/-məli, later high vowels are unrounded: oxumalısınız, getməlisiniz, oxumalıdır, getməlidir. The full four-way suffix families apply elsewhere, but their rounded members cannot follow this necessity ending.