-(i)sh kerak

Have to

Level 2

Ketishim kerak means "I have to leave" (literally "my leaving is needed"). Without a possessive, Dori ichish kerak is a general rule: the medicine must be taken.

How It Works

How it works
Uzbek says "my leaving is needed" instead of "I must leave". The verb becomes a noun with The Verb Noun -(i)sh, a possessive ending shows whose action it is, and kerak (needed) comes last.

  • ket-ish-im kerak I have to leave
  • oʻqi-sh-ing kerak you have to read
  • tur-ish-imiz kerak we have to get up
  • ishla-sh-lari kerak they have to work

The possessive endings are the ones from My: -(i)m and Your (Polite or Plural): -(i)ngiz. A subject pronoun can go first (Men ketishim kerak), but the ending already shows the person.

General rules
With no possessive, the sentence is about anyone: Dori ichish kerak (You need to take the medicine, one must take it). Signs and instructions often use this form.

Must, should, need to
Kerak covers all three: Shifokorga borishingiz kerak can mean "You must see a doctor" or "You should see a doctor".

Saying no

  • borishim kerak emas I don't have to go, there is no need. In everyday talk, kerak emas can also sound like "you shouldn't".
  • To say clearly that something must not happen, make the verb noun negative with Not Doing: -maslik: Kechikmasligingiz kerak (You must not be late).

For the past, "was supposed to" or "should have", see Was Supposed To. A stronger word for must is Must, Necessary: shart.

Examples (6)

  1. Men ketishim kerak.

    I have to leave.

    Word by Word: I leaving-my needed.

    -im shows that the leaving is mine.

  2. Dori ichish kerak.

    You need to take the medicine. / The medicine must be taken.

    Word by Word: Medicine drinking needed.

    No possessive: a general instruction for anyone.

  3. Ertaga erta turishimiz kerak.

    We have to get up early tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow early rising-our needed.

  4. Siz shifokorga borishingiz kerak.

    You should see a doctor.

    Word by Word: You doctor-to going-your needed.

    Kerak can mean must or should.

  5. Hozir nima qilishim kerak?

    What do I have to do now?

    Word by Word: Now what doing-my needed?

  6. Ular ertaga ishlashlari kerak.

    They have to work tomorrow.

    Word by Word: They tomorrow working-their needed.

    ishla- ends in a vowel, so it takes -sh, then -lari.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a conjugated verb before kerak.

    Men ketaman kerak.
    Men ketishim kerak.

    Kerak needs a noun before it. Turn the verb into the -ish noun and add a possessive ending.

  • Using a possessive ending that does not match the person.

    Men ketishing kerak.
    Men ketishim kerak.

    -ing means your. With men, the ending is -im: ketishim.

How It Connects

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-(i)sh kerakLevel 2Have to

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Words in This Pattern

kerak