мець + Infinitive
Supposed to with Мець
Цягнік мае прыбыць а сёмай. (The train is due to arrive at seven.) Мець + infinitive means be supposed to or be due to.
How It Works
Besides having, мець can combine with an infinitive. Then it means that something is planned, expected or required.
- A plan or schedule: Сустрэча мае адбыцца заўтра. (The meeting is supposed to take place tomorrow.)
- What someone should do: Што я маю рабіць? (What am I supposed to do?)
- A plan in the past, often one that fell through: Ён меў прыехаць учора, але захварэў. (He was supposed to come yesterday, but he got sick.)
Forms. Present: маю, маеш, мае, маем, маеце, маюць. Past: меў, мела, мела, мелі. The second verb is always an infinitive.
Compared with other words. Мець + infinitive is about plans and expectations. For a strong need, use мусіць or павінен: Я мушу ісці. (I have to go.) For something that is simply necessary, use мне трэба.
Not every мець. Phrases like мець рацыю (to be right) and маю надзею (I hope) use мець with a noun. They are not this construction.
Examples (6)
- Сустрэча мае адбыцца заўтра.
The meeting is supposed to take place tomorrow.
Word by Word: Meeting has to-take-place tomorrow.
- Што я маю рабіць?
What am I supposed to do?
Word by Word: What I have to-do?
- Цягнік мае прыбыць а сёмай гадзіне.
The train is due to arrive at seven o'clock.
Word by Word: Train has to-arrive at seventh hour.
- Ён меў прыехаць учора, але захварэў.
He was supposed to come yesterday, but he got sick.
Word by Word: He had to-come yesterday, but fell-ill.
- Мы маем скончыць праект да канца месяца.
We are supposed to finish the project by the end of the month.
Word by Word: We have to-finish project by end of-month.
- Як я маю гэта разумець?
How am I supposed to understand this?
Word by Word: How I have this to-understand?
Common Mistakes
Using a conjugated verb instead of the infinitive.
Сустрэча мае адбудзецца заўтра.Сустрэча мае адбыцца заўтра.After мець the second verb is always an infinitive: адбыцца.
Not matching мець to the subject.
Яны мае прыехаць у суботу.Яны маюць прыехаць у суботу.Мець agrees with its subject. With яны, the form is маюць.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Supposed to needs мець and must.
Related Patterns
- мне трэбаNeeding with Трэба
Says what is necessary, without the idea of a plan.
Level 2 - мусіць Meaning Probably
The verb мусіць has a second use too: set off by commas, it means probably.
Level 4 - буду + InfinitiveCompound Future of Imperfective Verbs
The ordinary future, without the sense of a plan or duty.
Level 3 - рад / павінен / вартыShort Adjectives Рад, Павінен and Варты
Павінен is another way to say what someone should do.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice мець + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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