Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| до́лжен | dólžen | masculine |
| обя́зан | objázan | masculine |
| сле́дует | slédujet | with dative |
In Russian, expressions of obligation like должен, следует and others are used to express that an action is necessary or advisable. Regardless of which form you choose, the verb that follows the expression must be in the infinitive form.
Which one should you use?
The forms provided differ in intensity and grammatical structure. до́лжен is a general term for 'should' or 'must', depending on the context. In contrast, обя́зан carries a much stronger, formal sense of being legally or morally duty-bound. Finally, сле́дует is an impersonal form used to say that something is advisable or appropriate, whereas до́лжен must agree with the gender of the subject.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form до́лжен must agree in gender with the subject: a female subject uses должна and a plural subject uses должны. On the other hand, сле́дует is impersonal and is used with the dative case rather than matching the subject's gender.
How do you pronounce it?
dólžen
Did you know?
- Although до́лжен functions like a verb for 'should', it is grammatically a short-form adjective. This is why it changes its ending to match gender and number, unlike most Russian verbs.
- The word до́лжен shares a root with the Russian word for 'debt', which is долг. When you use до́лжен, you are linguistically suggesting that you have a debt to fulfill.
- While до́лжен is used for obligation, the word надо is often used instead of 'should' in daily speech. Unlike до́лжен, надо is impersonal and does not change based on who is speaking.
Examples in context
- Ты должен посетить музей.You should visit the museum.
- Вам следует обратиться к специалисту.You should consult a specialist.
- Надо убраться в комнате.You should clean up the room.
- Стоит попробовать традиционные русские блюда.One should try traditional Russian dishes.
- Я до́лжен быть дома в шесть.Ya dolzhen byt' doma v shest'.I should be home at six.
- Он до́лжен пойти в спортзал.On dolzhen poyti v sportzal.He should go to the gym.
- Ты до́лжен закончить это сегодня.Ty dolzhen zakonchit' eto segodnya.You should finish this today.
Example conversation
Alexander is talking to Olga about his work schedule.
- Александр AleksandrЯ до́лжен закончить проект сейчас.Ya dolzhen zakonchit' proyekt seychas.I should finish the project now.
- Ольга OlgaТы очень устал, Александр.Ty ochen' ustal, Aleksandr.You are very tired, Alexander.
- Александр AleksandrНо я до́лжен это сделать.No ya dolzhen eto sdelat'.But I should do it.
- Ольга OlgaОтдохни немного, пожалуйста.Otdokhni nemnogo, pozhaluysta.Rest a little, please.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “should” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
