Should Have Done

Level 4

Use نباید for something that you should not have done.

How It Works

FormTimeExample
باید + subjunctivenow or laterباید زود بیایم. (I must come early.)
باید + می‌ + pastearlierباید زود می‌آمدم. (I should have come early.)
نباید + می‌ + pastearlierنباید دیر می‌آمدم. (I should not have come late.)

باید itself never changes. The verb after it takes the person ending: باید می‌آمدم, باید می‌آمدی, باید می‌آمد.

The same form can also say that something had to happen in the past: باید هر روز کار می‌کردم. (I had to work every day.) The rest of the sentence shows which meaning is meant. A word such as زودتر or a day that has passed points to a regret.

For "we", the verb takes ـیم: باید می‌رفتیم (we should have gone). For "they", it takes ـند: باید می‌آمدند.

Formal writing has می‌بایست for the same idea: می‌بایست زودتر می‌آمدم.

To wish for a different past, you can also use کاش with the past perfect. See the entry on کاش.

Examples (5)

  1. باید زودتر به خانه می‌آمدیم.

    We should have come home earlier.

    باید + می‌آمدیم looks back at a duty that was missed.

  2. نباید این‌قدر دیر می‌خوابیدی.

    You should not have gone to bed so late.

    نباید + می‌خوابیدی says that you should not have done it.

  3. باید چتر با خود می‌بردی، چون باران آمد.

    You should have taken an umbrella, because it rained.

    The verb می‌بردی agrees with the person, and چون gives the reason.

  4. باید از احمد جان تشکر می‌کردم.

    I should have thanked Ahmad.

    تشکر می‌کردم is the compound verb تشکر کردن in the past with می‌.

  5. باید قبل از امتحان زیادتر درس می‌خواندم.

    I should have studied more before the exam.

    زیادتر درس می‌خواندم is a missed duty from the past.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the present subjunctive to talk about the past.

    دیروز باید زودتر بیایم.
    دیروز باید زودتر می‌آمدم.

    بیایم looks forward. For a missed duty in the past, use می‌ with the past stem.

  • Using the simple past after باید.

    باید زودتر آمدم.
    باید زودتر می‌آمدم.

    After باید, the simple past is not used for a missed duty. Use می‌ with the past stem.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Should Have DoneLevel 4

Learn This First

It joins باید with the past habit form.

Words in This Pattern

باید