Obligation with بایَد — Persian Grammar

(bâyadbâyadbayd) is Persian for "must" and "have to", and it is the simplest modal in the language, because it never changes.

One Form for Everybody

Whoever is under the obligation, (bâyadbâyadbayd) stays exactly as it is. The verb after it goes into the subjunctive, and that is where the person shows up.

⁧مَن بایَد بِرَوَم.⁩
man bâyad beravamman bâyad beravammn bayd brvm
I must go.
⁧اَلان بایَد بِرَویم.⁩
alân bâyad beravimalân bâyad beravimalan bayd brvym
We must go now.
⁧بایَد تَمرین کُنی.⁩
bâyad tamrin konibâyad tamrin konibayd tmryn kny
You must practise.
⁧شُما بایَد دَر را فِشار دَهید.⁩
šomâ bâyad dar râ fešâr dahidshomâ bâyad dar râ feshâr dahidšma bayd dr ra fšar dhyd
You must push the door.

English "must" does not change either, but the verb after it stays bare - "I must go", "we must go". In Persian it is that second verb that carries the person.

Must and Have To

Persian draws no line between the two. (bâyadbâyadbayd) covers a rule, a plan, a physical necessity and a strong recommendation alike.

⁧مَن بایَد بِه دَستشویی بِرَوَم.⁩
man bâyad be dastšuyi beravamman bâyad be dastshuyi beravammn bayd b dstšvyy brvm
I have to go to the bathroom.
⁧بایَد بِه سوپِرمارکِت بِرَوَم.⁩
bâyad be supermârket beravambâyad be supermârket beravambayd b svprmarkt brvm
I need to go to the supermarket.
⁧مَن فِکر می‌کُنَم تُو بایَد پولَت را پَس‌اَنداز کُنی.⁩
man fekr mi-konam to bâyad pulat râ pas-andâz koniman fekr mi-konam to bâyad pulat râ pas-andâz konimn fkr my-knm t bayd pvlt ra ps-andaz kny
I think you should save your money.

Deduction

As in English, "must" can also mean that something is the only explanation.

⁧این عَجیب اَست. ساعَتِ مَن بایَد خَراب باشَد.⁩
in ʿajib ast sâʿat-e man bâyad xarâb bâšadin 'ajib ast sâ'at-e man bâyad kharâb bâshadayn ʿjyb ast saʿt-a mn bayd xrab bašd
That is strange. My watch must be broken.

The Negative

(nabâyadnabâyadnbayd) is "must not" - a prohibition, not merely an absence of obligation.

Not Having To

For "I do not have to", Persian does not negate (bâyadbâyadbayd) at all; it says there is no need, using (niyâzniyâznyyaz).

⁧مَن هَنوز نیازی بِه رَفتَن نَدارَم.⁩
man hanuz niyâzi be raftan nadâramman hanuz niyâzi be raftan nadârammn hnvz nyyazy b rftn ndarm
I do not need to go yet.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Persian course

21 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 8. A few of them, with the words “Obligation with بایَد” is about in bold:

باید تا وقتی که یک ماشین جدید بگیرم، دوچرخه‌ام را سوار شوم.
bâyad tâ vaqti ke yek mâšin-e jadid begiram, dočarxe-am râ savâr šavam.bâyad tâ vaqti ke yek mâshin-e jadid begiram, docharkhe-am râ savâr shavam.bayd ta vqty kh yk mašyn jdyd bgyrm, dvčrxh-am ra svar švm.
I have to ride my bike until I get a new car.
Lesson 301
من باید توالت را تمیز کنم. خیلی کثیف است.
man bâyad tuâlet râ tamiz konam. xeyli kaṯif ast.man bâyad tuâlet râ tamiz konam. kheyli kasif ast.mn bayd tvalt ra tmyz knm. xyly kṯyf ast.
I need to clean the toilet. It is too dirty.
Lesson 469

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