VerbA1

müssen

must, have to · must, be bound to

Müssen expresses necessity or obligation, like 'must' or 'have to'. It is also used to express a logical conclusion, like 'must' in 'He must be tired'. It is a modal verb, so it is usually combined with another verb in the infinitive.

What müssen means

  1. must, have to — expressing necessity or obligation
  2. must, be bound to — expressing a logical conclusion or strong probability

Heard in real German videos

Lines where müssen was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.

  • Ich muss sofort zu Sandy.I have to go to Sandy right away.
  • Captain muss irgendwo hier drin sein.Captain must be somewhere in here.
  • Also muss sich Edmund irren.So Edmund must be mistaken.

Example sentences

  • Ich muss heute früher nach Hause gehen.I have to go home earlier today.
  • Du musst deine Hausaufgaben machen.You must do your homework.
  • Er muss krank sein, weil er nicht gekommen ist.He must be sick because he didn't come.
  • Wir müssen mehr Deutsch üben.We have to practice German more.

Grammar

Present (ich/du/er)muss / musst / muss
Simple pastmusste
Perfecthat gemusst (or hat ... müssen)
Separableno
Case it takesno direct object; used with infinitive

As a modal verb, müssen is used with an infinitive at the end of the clause. In the perfect tense, it often appears as a double infinitive: 'Ich habe gehen müssen.'

Common phrases

  • muss das sein?is that really necessary?
  • das muss man sich leisten könnenyou have to be able to afford that
  • muss ich das verstehen?do I have to understand that?

The mistake English speakers make

English speakers often confuse 'müssen' with 'dürfen' (to be allowed to). 'Ich muss nicht' means 'I don't have to', not 'I must not'. To express prohibition, use 'nicht dürfen'.

Don’t confuse it with

  • dürfen — dürfen means 'to be allowed to', while müssen means 'to have to'.
  • sollen — sollen expresses an obligation from someone else or a recommendation, while müssen expresses a necessity or self-imposed obligation.

Questions learners ask

What is the difference between 'müssen' and 'sollen'?

Müssen expresses a necessity or obligation that comes from the situation or oneself, while sollen expresses an obligation that comes from another person or a moral duty.

How do you negate 'müssen'?

To say 'not have to', use 'nicht müssen'. To say 'must not' (prohibition), use 'nicht dürfen'.

What is the past tense of 'müssen'?

The simple past is 'musste'. The perfect is 'hat gemusst' or, more commonly with an infinitive, 'hat ... müssen', e.g., 'Ich habe gehen müssen.'

Related words

dürfensollenkönnenwollenmögen