müssen"Must" is a modal verb. You use it to express a necessity or an obligation: you are saying that something is necessary or that you have to do something.
Level: A1
When do you use "must"?
Our preview of müssen Are you saying that something is necessary or that you have no other choice?
- Duty: Ich muss arbeiten.
- Need: Du musst mehr trinken.
It's about things that are truly necessary, not about wishes.
Conjugation in the present tense
In the singular, the vowel changes from ü zu u:
- ich muss
- du musst
- er / sie / es muss
- we müssen
- her müsst
- sie / Sie müssen
For ich and er/sie/es There is no ending.
The negation
Be careful when using negation. müssen + nicht means that something nicht nötig is:
- Du musst nicht kommen. (You can come, but it's not necessary.)
If something is forbidden, you use it nicht dürfen: Du darfst nicht rauchen.
Common mistakes
For ich is it [called muss, not musseThe second verb is in the infinitive form at the end of the sentence: Ich muss jetzt gehen.
examples
| Example | Declaration |
|---|---|
| Ich muss heute lange arbeiten. | Obligation, first-person singular without ending: must. |
| Du musst pünktlich sein. | Necessity with the "you" form must. |
| Wir müssen noch einkaufen. | Use the "we" form, with the infinitive at the end. |
| Du musst nicht warten. | Negation: there is no need to wait. |
| Das Kind muss früh ins Bett. | The es-form must be used, without an ending. |
Frequently asked questions
What does "must not" mean?
"Must not" doesn't mean something isn't necessary. "You don't have to come" means: It's not necessary, but you can come. A prohibition doesn't require permission.
What is the difference between "must" and "should"?
"Must" expresses a strong necessity, often without choice. "Should" expresses a recommendation or instruction from another person.
How do you conjugate "müssen" with "du"?
With "du" it becomes "mussen": You must learn. The vowel changes from ü to u.
You will learn this term in the German course A1 from Deutsch1, with explanatory videos, exercises and feedback.
Related terms
Modal verbs : sollen , dürfen , können
Comprehensive guide: Modal verbs in German: all six explained simply