I thought the use of this suffix was restricted to obligations, but the sentence below has left me confused.
この会に来たインドの人は「日本にいろいろ教えてもらって、早く空気をきれいにしなければなりません」と話していました。
Source: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/k10010874151000/k10010874151000.html
-
I don't understand why you are confused. So what do you think this sentence means?– narutoCommented Mar 1, 2017 at 18:07
-
An indian person that came to the meeting said: 'Japan taught us a lot of things. Possibly, our air will soon be beautiful'. Would it not be better instead of 'しなければなりません' write 'かもしれない', 'だろう' or 'でしょう'?– PagginelliCommented Mar 1, 2017 at 20:09
-
@Pagginelli Why do you think it would mean that?– AngelosCommented Mar 1, 2017 at 20:37
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
This しなければなりません just means "must", "need to", "have to". And that's the only meaning of しなければなりません.
この会に来たインドの人は「日本にいろいろ教えてもらって、早く空気をきれいにしなければなりません」と話していました。
- An Indian person who came to the meeting said, "[I] have to make the air (of India) clean after Japan taught a lot of things to [me]."
- An Indian person who came to the meeting said, "[We Indian people] have to make the air (of India) clean after Japan taught a lot of things to [us]."
This person is probably someone in charge of the air pollution problem of India, but since the subject is omitted, the second interpretation is possible.
-
Since a group of officials and experts came to learn on behalf of their country, I would definitely go with the second interpretation. One person alone will probably have a very difficult time trying to clean up India's air. Commented Mar 2, 2017 at 3:37