German Modal Verb Müssen Explained
Müssen means “to have to”, and the most important tip is to never translate it as “must”. In this lesson Luzi teaches you the conjugation of müssen, the four situations where you use it, and a bonus tip: nicht brauchen zu as a nicer alternative to nicht müssen.
A Quote With Three Modal Verbs
The video starts with a famous sentence by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant: Ich kann, weil ich will, was ich muss. It contains three modal verbs: können, wollen and müssen. Luzi's own interpretation: I am only able to do something if I know what I really want, and if I am lucky, I also have to do it. Everybody can have their own interpretation, it is philosophy.
What Does müssen Mean?
Müssen means to have to. Please do not use the English translation “must”. If you translate it as “have to”, the negation also works: “I have to do something” or “I do not have to do something”. If you use “must”, you get problems with the negation, because “mustn't” changes the meaning.
Conjugation of müssen
| Pronoun | müssen |
|---|---|
| ich | muss |
| du | musst |
| er, sie, es | muss |
| wir | müssen |
| ihr | müsst |
| sie, Sie | müssen |
The 4 Situations for müssen
1. Notwendigkeit (Necessity)
This is the most common situation. You are in need of doing something.
- Profisportler müssen hart trainieren. (Professional athletes have to train hard, if they want to keep up with the competition.)
- Wir müssen sofort etwas essen. (We have to eat something immediately. We are very hungry.)
- Muss ich Grammatik lernen? (Do I have to learn grammar? The answer, unfortunately: Ja.)
2. Befehl oder Regel (Order or Rule)
- Autofahrer müssen sich anschnallen. (Car drivers have to buckle up. This is a rule.)
- Er muss heute zu Hause bleiben. (He has to stay home today. His mom told him, it is an order.)
- Muss ich einen Helm tragen? (Do I have to wear a helmet? This is a question about a rule.)
3. Pflicht (Duty)
- Du musst in einer Bibliothek leise sein. (You have to be quiet in a library.)
- Hier müssen Sie etwas bestellen. (You have to order something here. You may see this on a sign in a restaurant.)
- Musst du morgen arbeiten? (Do you have to work tomorrow?)
4. Müssen as a Main Verb
Müssen can also be a main verb. When the second verb is obvious from the context, you can drop it.
- Wir müssen zum Flughafen (fahren). (We have to go to the airport. The dropped verb is fahren.)
- Ich muss nach Hause (gehen). (I have to go home. A very common sentence. You can say it as a goodbye: Tschüss, auf Wiedersehen, ich muss nach Hause.)
- Muss ich zu Oma (mitgehen)? (Do I have to go to Grandma's with you? Maybe you asked this as a kid when you had other plans on the weekend.)
Bonus Tip: nicht müssen or nicht brauchen zu
Brauchen means to need. The structure nicht brauchen zu is a very nice alternative to nicht müssen. It is a kind of synonym, and it makes your German sound a little bit better.
| With nicht müssen | With nicht brauchen zu |
|---|---|
| Du musst es ihm nicht sagen. (You do not have to tell him. Maybe you want to keep it a secret.) | Du brauchst es ihm nicht zu sagen. |
| Er muss heute nicht arbeiten. (He does not have to work today, he is off.) | Er braucht heute nicht zu arbeiten. |
Your Homework
Luzi asks: Was musst du morgen machen? (What do you have to do tomorrow?) Write your answer in a full sentence with müssen.
What to Learn Next
Continue with the next modal verb, dürfen, and go back to wollen if you missed it. To practise dürfen and müssen together, try the exercise on dürfen and müssen. For the alternative to nicht müssen in detail, read nur, nicht brauchen zu and the infinitive sentence, and for an overview see all German modal verbs: the complete guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does müssen mean in German?
Müssen means “to have to”. Luzi recommends not translating it as “must”, because the negation “mustn't” has a different meaning than nicht müssen.
How do you conjugate müssen?
Ich muss, du musst, er/sie/es muss, wir müssen, ihr müsst, sie/Sie müssen. The second verb stays in the infinitive at the end of the sentence.
When do you use müssen in German?
In four situations: necessity (Wir müssen sofort etwas essen), an order or rule (Autofahrer müssen sich anschnallen), duty (Du musst in einer Bibliothek leise sein) and as a main verb (Ich muss nach Hause).
What is the alternative to nicht müssen?
You can use nicht brauchen zu: Du brauchst es ihm nicht zu sagen means the same as Du musst es ihm nicht sagen and sounds nicer.
Can I drop the second verb with müssen?
Yes, when the context makes it obvious. You say Ich muss nach Hause instead of Ich muss nach Hause gehen, and Wir müssen zum Flughafen instead of Wir müssen zum Flughafen fahren.
Modal verbs give you the sentences you use every day. In our A1 German online course you learn them step by step with videos, worksheets and answers to your questions.
