The Verb “To Need / To Have To / Must / Should”

Lesson objective

In this lesson, you will learn how to express need, necessity, obligation, and advice. The Darija verb is xṣṣ, which can mean to need, to have to, must, or should, depending on the situation.

How to form it

Add an object-pronoun ending directly to xṣṣ. The verb is not normally used with the present-tense prefixes kay- or kat-.

English	Darija
I need / I have to	xṣṣni
You need / have to — singular	xṣṣk
He needs / has to	xṣṣu
She needs / has to	xṣṣha
We need / have to	xṣṣna
You need / have to — plural	xṣṣkum
They need / have to	xṣṣhum

Followed by another verb

When xṣṣ is followed by a verb, the second verb uses the present-tense form without ka-.

xṣṣni n-t3llm l-3rbiya mzyan. — I have to learn Arabic well.

xṣṣk t-ji f l-wqt. — You should arrive on time.

ma-xṣṣk-š t-shr. — You should not stay awake late.

xṣṣni n-mši. — I have to go.

The exact meaning — need, have to, must, or should — depends on the context.

Followed by a noun

When xṣṣ is followed by a noun, it means to need.

xṣṣni l-garru. — I need cigarettes.

xṣṣha dftar. — She needs a notebook.