Compulsion and Obligation Constructions

Developed by Rakesh Ranjan

Compulsory and obligatory constructions are extensively used when travel plans are discussed. The indirect verbs चाहिये, होना and पड़ना add a distinct degree of compulsion and obligation. The basic structure of the sentence is: 

Subject (oblique) को + Object + Main Verb(infinitive) + 

  • चाहिये (ought to, should) + (Aux: only था/ थे /थी /थीं)
  •  होना  (have/ has to) ( Aux: Present, Past, Future)
  •  पड़ना (must/ forced to/ have to ) ( Aux: Present, Past, Future, Presumptive and Subjunctive)

1. Main verb (infinitive) + चाहिये: The use of indirect verb ‘चाहिये’ with the infinitive verb of the main verb adds a meaning of “ought to” or “should.”

For example:

  • आपके परिवार को हर साल भारत जाना चाहिए । Your family should go to India very year.
  • सबको ताजमहल देखना चाहिए। Everyone should see Taj Mahal.

The past tense of the auxiliary verb होना “to be” (that is, था/थे/थी/थीं) is used to add the meaning of “should have.”

  • आपके परिवार को हर साल भारत जाना चाहिए था। Your family should have gone to India every year. 
  • सबको ताजमहल देखना चाहिए था। Everyone should have seen Taj Mahal.

There is no future tense form of चाहिये but this verb has a future has a future implication.

 2. Main verb (infinitive) + होना: The use of indirect verb होना with the infinitive verb of the main verb adds a meaning of “have to/has to.” Such contractions are used in all tenses.   

  • उसके परिवार को हर साल भारत जाना है। His family has to go to India every year. 
  • उसके परिवार को हर साल भारत जाना था । His family had to go to India every year. 
  • उसके परिवार को हर साल भारत जाना होगा । His family will have to go to India every year. 

3. Main verb (infinitive) + पड़ना: The use of indirect verb पड़ना adds a stronger sense of compulsion or obligation meaning “must” or “forced to.”  It also indicates that the action of the infinitive verb is carried on because of some external circumstance or pressure. Depending on the context, such contractions can be used in all tenses.

For example:

  • परिवार से मिलने के लिये उसको भारत जाना पड़ता है। He must go to India to meet with the family. [पड़ना in Present Habitual]
  • परिवार से मिलने के लिये उसको भारत जाना पड़ता था। He had to go to India to meet with the family. [पड़ना in Past Habitual]
  • परिवार से मिलने के लिये उसको भारत जाना पड़ता होगा। Probably he has to go to India to meet with the family. [पड़ना in Presumptive Habitual]
  • परिवार से मिलने के लिये उसको भारत जाना पड़ेगा। He will have to go to India to meet with the family.  [पड़ना in Future Tense]          
  • परिवार से मिलने के लिये उसको भारत जाना पड़ा। He had to go to India to meet with the family. [पड़ना in  Simple Perfective ]
  • परिवार से मिलने के लिये उसको भारत जाना पड़े। May be he has to go to India to meet with family. [पड़ना in Simple Subjunctive]