English–German

“must” in German

German

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈmʏsn̩/

Example

Wir müssen jetzt gehen.

We must leave now.

Illustration for müssen (must)

How to say “must” in German

“Must” in German is müssen.

A required action with outside pressure closing off the other choices.

Full entry for müssen: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with müssen

Ich habe gestern länger arbeiten müssen.

I had to work longer yesterday.

Tips for using müssen

  • German müssen takes a bare infinitive without zu, as in Wir müssen jetzt gehen.

“must” in other languages