Level 2 · Elementary
Should: 应该
Subj. + 应该 / 该 + Verb · Traditional: Subj. + 應該 / 該 + Verb
应该 (yīnggāi) before a verb means "should / ought to": 你应该多喝水 "you should drink more water". The short form 该 is common in speech, especially with 了 for "it's time to": 我该走了 "I should get going".
应该 also expresses what you EXPECT to be true: 他应该在家 "he should be home (I'd guess)". To negate, put 不 in front: 你不应该说 "you shouldn't say that".
Examples
你应该多喝水。
你應該多喝水。
nǐ yīng gāi duō hē shuǐ
You should drink more water.
我该走了。
我該走了。
wǒ gāi zǒu le
I should get going.
他应该在家。
他應該在家。
tā yīng gāi zài jiā
He should be at home.
你不应该给他钱。
你不應該給他錢。
nǐ bù yīng gāi gěi tā qián
You shouldn't give him money.
Common mistakes
✗ 你应该不去。
✓ 你不应该去。
For "shouldn't" (advice), 不 goes before 应该: 不应该去. (应该不 does exist, but only for guesses: 他应该不在家 "he's probably not home".)
Related grammar points
Practice this pattern in graded stories like The Amazing Classmate (Part 1), Ā Róng's Day Begins (Part 1), A Small Incident Onboard (Part 3) inside the Literate Chinese app.
