treba + Infinitive

It Is Necessary: Treba

Level 3

Treba to urobiť dnes. (It needs to be done today.) Netreba sa báť. (There's no need to be afraid.) Past: bolo treba. Future: bude treba.

How It Works

Present: treba on its own

Treba kúpiť mlieko. (We need to buy milk.) In everyday speech you will also hear je treba, but Slovak language guides treat the extra je as unnecessary, so in standard Slovak just say treba.

Past and future

  • Včera bolo treba vstať o piatej. (Yesterday we had to get up at five.)
  • Zajtra bude treba ísť skoro. (Tomorrow we'll need to go early.)

Negative: there is no need

Netreba, nebolo treba and nebude treba mean there is no need. They do not mean must not.

Netreba sa báť. (There's no need to be afraid.) For a ban, use nesmieť instead, see Don't Have To and Must Not.

Who needs it

A dative shows the person: Čo ti treba? (What do you need?) Treba can also go with a thing instead of an infinitive: Na to bude treba viac času. (That will take more time.)

Compare

  • Musím ísť. I must go (a personal duty).
  • Potrebujem pomoc. I need help (a personal need).
  • Treba ísť. It is necessary to go (a general need).

Formal writing often uses It Is Necessary: je potrebné, which does take je.

Examples (6)

  1. Treba to urobiť ešte dnes.

    It needs to be done today.

    Word by Word: Needed it to-do still today.

    A general need. No one is named.

  2. Netreba sa báť, pes nehryzie.

    There's no need to be afraid; the dog doesn't bite.

    Netreba means there is no need.

  3. Treba kúpiť mlieko a chlieb.

    We need to buy milk and bread.

    English often adds we or you; Slovak names no one.

  4. Včera bolo treba vstať o piatej.

    Yesterday we had to get up at five.

    In the past, treba takes bolo.

  5. Na túto prácu bude treba viac času.

    This job will need more time.

    In the future, treba takes bude. Here it goes with a thing, not an infinitive.

  6. Čo ti treba?

    What do you need?

    The dative ti shows who needs something.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding je in the present tense.

    Je treba to urobiť dnes.
    Treba to urobiť dnes.

    Je treba is common in speech, but standard Slovak uses treba alone in the present. Bolo and bude are added only in the past and future.

  • Giving treba a person, as if it were a verb.

    Treba som ísť.
    Musím ísť.

    Treba has no forms for I, you or he. To say I have to, use musím. To say it is necessary, use treba with no person: Treba ísť.

  • Leaving out bolo in the past.

    Včera treba vstať skoro.
    Včera bolo treba vstať skoro.

    Treba on its own is present. For the past, add bolo; for the future, add bude.

How It Connects

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

treba + InfinitiveLevel 3It Is Necessary: Treba

Learn This First

Before It Is Necessary: treba, learn Can and Must and Sentences Without a Subject. Like the modal verbs, treba is followed by an infinitive. treba sentences have no grammatical subject.

Words in This Pattern