Must, can, may: morati, moči, smeti, treba je
Four words cover almost all modality, and mixing them up is expensive — Slovenian expresses 'can't because it won't work' and 'can't because it's forbidden' with different verbs. 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 modality, and mixing them up is expensive — Slovenian expresses 'can't because it won't work' and 'can't because it's forbidden' with different verbs.
Morati — obligation: Moram iti — I have to go. You already know the form moram. Moči — physical possibility and ability: Ne morem odpreti vrat — I can't open the door. Smeti — permission: Tukaj se ne sme kaditi — smoking is not allowed here. And lahko, the 'can' and 'may' you already know, crowds smeti out of almost every live sentence: Lahko pomerim? — can I try it on?
The impersonal treba je — 'it is necessary' in general, naming nobody: Treba je rezervirati vnaprej — you have to book ahead. To say who needs to, add the dative: Treba mi je počivati. English 'I have to' covers both moram and treba mi je, but moram sounds firmer.
The negatives diverge most of all, and one trap here is worth three rules. Ne smem — I'm not allowed, it's forbidden. Ne morem — I can't, it won't work. And ni treba is not 'not allowed' but 'no need, not necessary': Ni ti treba plačati — you don't have to pay. Mixing up ne smem and ne morem means saying 'it's forbidden' where you meant 'I can't manage it'.
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 modality, and mixing them up is expensive — Slovenian expresses 'can't because it won't work' and 'can't because it's forbidden' with different verbs.
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.