行かなきゃ
ikanakya
In Japanese, 行かなきゃ (ikanakya) is the phrase for "I need to go".
This phrase is used to indicate that the speaker must leave the current location or situation.
What does it mean word for word?
The form 行かなきゃ is a contraction of the negative conditional form of the verb 行く (to go), effectively meaning "if I don't go" (implying "if I don't go, [something bad happens]").
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
行かなきゃ is an informal, colloquial way to say "I must go" or "I have to go". In formal situations, use 行かなければなりません instead. 失礼します。 is a polite way to excuse yourself when leaving a place. 失礼致します。 is a formal phrase used when leaving a formal gathering, such as a meeting, interview or business event. 申し訳ありませんが、お先に失礼します。 translates to "I'm sorry, but I must leave ahead of you."
How do you pronounce it?
ikanakya
Did you know?
- In Japanese, 'to go' can be used to mean 'to go to the bathroom' without naming the destination, making 行かなきゃ a subtle way to excuse oneself for a personal necessity.
- While 行かなきゃ focuses on the necessity of going, Japanese speakers may use そろそろ before it to signal they have been thinking about leaving for a while.
- The formal 行かなければなりません is so long that in spoken Japanese, it is almost always contracted to 行かなきゃ or 行かないと to avoid sounding unnaturally stiff.
Examples in context
- トイレに行かなきゃ。I need to go to the bathroom.This sentence shows how to use 行かなきゃ to specify a destination like the bathroom.Tatoeba #9466428 by bunbuku, translation #1864529 by Spamster
- 行かなきゃ、時間がないから。I need to go. There's no time.This sentence uses 行かなきゃ to express that one must leave due to a lack of time.Tatoeba #10457330 by small_snow, translation #11112311 by DJ_Saidez
- 病院に行かなきゃいけないの。I need to go to hospital.This sentence demonstrates using the longer form 行かなきゃいけない to state a need to go to the hospital.Tatoeba #11994009 by small_snow, translation #10661447 by sundown
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are finishing a conversation at a cafe.
- 結衣 Yuiそろそろ行かなきゃ。Sorosoro ikanakya.I need to go soon.
- 蓮 Renえ、もう帰るの？E, mou kaeru no?Eh, you're leaving already?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、次の約束があるんだ。Un, tsugi no yakusoku ga arunda.Yeah, I have another appointment.
- 蓮 Renわかった、またね！Wakatta, mata ne!Alright, see you later!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
