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müssen

must

verb MUE-sen Common
Grammar & Structure

Also means

have to

Usage Note

müssen is a modal verb ('must, have to') that sends the main verb to the end as a bare infinitive (Ich muss gehen). Its negation flips meaning: muss nicht means 'don't have to', not 'must not' (which is darf nicht). The first and third person singular drop the umlaut: ich muss, er muss.

Examples

"Ich muss jetzt gehen."

Natural Translation

I have to go now.

Literal Translation

I must now go.

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