Must, can, may: morati, moči, smeti, treba je
Four words cover almost all of this, and mixing them up is expensive. 'Can't because it won't work' and 'can't because it's forbidden' are different verbs here. For example: “Moram spakirati kovček” — I have to pack the suitcase. A rule from the Slovenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Four words cover almost all of this, and mixing them up is expensive. 'Can't because it won't work' and 'can't because it's forbidden' are different verbs here.
Morati is obligation: Moram iti — I have to go. Moči is physical ability: Ne morem odpreti vrat — I can't open the door. Smeti is permission: Tukaj se ne sme kaditi — no smoking here. And lahko pushes smeti out of most live sentences: Lahko pomerim?
Treba je names nobody at all: Treba je rezervirati vnaprej — you have to book ahead. To say who needs it, add the 'to whom' word: Treba mi je počivati.
The negatives split hardest. Ne smem — I'm not allowed. Ne morem — I can't manage it. And ni treba is not 'forbidden' but 'no need': Ni ti treba plačati.
Table
| meaning | affirmative | negative |
|---|---|---|
| must | moram iti | ni mi treba iti (not obliged) |
| can physically | lahko odprem | ne morem odpreti |
| may, allowed | lahko pomerim | ne smem pomeriti |
| necessary in general | treba je plačati | ni treba plačati |
| know how to | znam plavati | ne znam plavati |
By example
- Moram spakirati kovčekI have to pack the suitcase
- Tukaj se ne sme kaditiSmoking is not allowed here
- Ni treba naročiti vnaprejNo need to order in advance
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Must, can, may: how does it work in Slovenian?
Four words cover almost all of this, and mixing them up is expensive. 'Can't because it won't work' and 'can't because it's forbidden' are different verbs here.
What does it look like in an example sentence Slovenian?
“Moram spakirati kovček” — I have to pack the suitcase. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.