カチコミに いく まえに、ぶきを じゅんび しなきゃ。
kachikomi ni iku maeni, buki o junbi shinakya.
Before we go on the raid, we gotta get our weapons ready.
So, listen up. The short forms, なきゃ(nakya) and なくちゃ(nakucha), are like the street slang versions of なければなりません (nakerebanarimasen) and なくてはいけません(nakutewaikemasen). They all mean the same thing: “have to” or “must.” But while the long forms sound like you’re talking to the head of the family or the law, なきゃ(nakya) and なくちゃ (nakucha) are what you say to your crew, to your homeboys. They got that gritty, down-to-earth vibe. They’re what you say when you’re in the heat of the moment, makin’ a plan, or just keepin’ it real. It’s like, you gotta do this, plain and simple, no fancy talk needed.
| Verb Form | Example Verb | なくちゃ Form | Translation |
| Group 1 Verbs | のむ (nomu) | のまなきゃ (nomanakya) | must drink |
| Group 2 Verbs | たべる (taberu) | たべなきゃ (tabenakya) | must eat |
| Group 3 Verbs | する (suru) | しなきゃ (shinakya) | must do |
| くる (kuru) | こなきゃ (konakya) | must come |
Think of this grammar point like a ’90s hip-hop album. The long, proper forms like なければなりません are the album’s official title on the back cover—serious, formal, and a bit long. The short forms, なきゃ(nakya) and なくちゃ(nakucha), are like the scratchy, raw, unedited version of the same track you’d hear blastin’ from a boombox on a street corner. It gets straight to the point, hits hard, and everyone gets it without you havin’ to spell it out. It’s for when you’re talkin’ to your crew, not the suits in the big office.
Here are some real words you might hear in the streets, you dig?
かねを かせぐ (Kane o kasegu)
English: To make money; to earn a living; to hustle.
You gotta get that paper, you feel me? Whether you’re slinging mixtapes or running your own empire, you gotta be out here on the grind. This ain’t no game, fam. It’s about securing the bag, stacking that bread. In the rap world, it’s all about that hustle. That’s what this phrase is for.
しょうこ (Shouko)
English: Evidence; proof.
Listen up. When the cops roll up, you better make sure there’s no evidence left behind. You gotta be slick, leave no trace. That means no fingerprints, no paper trails, no nothing. In court, the prosecutor needs proof to put you away. Without that proof, they got nothing. It’s all about leaving a clean slate. That’s what this word is for.
こうどうする (Koudou suru)
English: To take action; to act.
Talk is cheap, my dude. You can talk all day about what you’re gonna do, but a true boss makes moves. You gotta be about that action, not just that chatter. You see an opportunity, you jump on it. Don’t be a scrub standing on the sidelines. You gotta get in the game, make things happen. That’s what this phrase is for.
ぜったい (Zettai)
English: Absolutely; definitely; without fail.
This is a word for when you’re serious. Like when you tell your crew, “We are absolutely hitting this lick tonight, no excuses.” It means there’s no turning back, no doubt. It’s a promise, a guarantee. When you say this, you mean business. That’s what this word is for.
べんごし (Bengoshi)
English: Lawyer; attorney.
You know you’re in the big leagues when you need to get a lawyer on speed dial. This ain’t about small-time stuff. When you’re facing serious charges, you need a dude who knows the law, who can get you out of a sticky situation. A good lawyer can be the difference between freedom and a long stint in the pen. You need the best legal representation money can buy. That’s what this word is for.
Aight, check the flow on these sentences, straight from the streets.
あしたの よるまでには、この しごとを おわらせなくちゃ。
ashita no yoru made ni wa, kono shigoto o owarase nakucha.
We gotta finish this job by tomorrow night.
もし けいかくが しっぱいしたら、どうやって にげるか かんがえなくちゃ。
moshi keikaku ga shippai shitara, dou yatte nigeru ka kangaenakucha.
If the plan fails, we gotta think about how to escape.
ボスが くる まえに、この へやを きれいに しなきゃ。
bosu ga kuru maeni, kono heya o kirei ni shinakya.
Before the boss comes, we gotta clean up this room.
あたらしい なわばりを てに いれる ためには、もっと かねを かせがなきゃ。
atarashii nawabari o te ni ireru tameniwa, motto kane o kaseganakya.
In order to get new territory, we gotta make more money.
おやぶんに いわれた ことは、すぐに やらなきゃ。
oyabun ni iwareta koto wa, sugu ni yaranakya.
What the boss told us, we gotta do it right away.
さつに つかまる まえに、しょうこを ぜんぶ かくさなきゃ。
satsu ni tsukamaru maeni, shōko o zenbu kakusakya.
Before the cops catch us, we gotta hide all the evidence.
やつらを ビビらせるために、もっと つよく みせなくちゃ。
yatsura o bibiraseru tame ni, motto tsuyoku misenakucha.
To scare those guys, we gotta look tougher.
てきの シマを うばうには、こんや こうどうしなくちゃ。
teki no shima o ubau ni wa, kon’ya kōdō shinakucha.
To take over their territory, we gotta act tonight.
ボスの めいれいは ぜったいだ。きかなくちゃ いけない。
bosu no meirei wa zettai da. kikanakucha ikenai.
The boss’s orders are absolute. We gotta listen.
たいほされた なかまの ために、べんごしを さがさなくちゃ。
taiho sareta nakama no tameni, bengoshi o sagasanakucha.
For our arrested homie, we gotta find a lawyer.
Aight, that’s the real deal, homie. Keep it 100, stay true to the game. Peace out.
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