Word Frequency (Worthäufigkeit) #119
Word (Wort)

musste

Translation (Übersetzung) had to
Pronunciation (Aussprache) /ˈmʊstə/
A1
Verbs
Beginner
Neutral
Tags (Tags)
grammar most-common verb conditional modal necessity obligation subjunctive past
First and third person singular Präteritum (past tense) form of 'müssen' (had to). Modal verb expressing past necessity or obligation. One hundred and nineteenth most frequent word in German.

musste - German Verbs - musste Meaning - musste Translation - musste Verbs Examples

musste is a German Verbs

Learn musste meaning, translation, pronunciation, and usage examples. musste is classified as a Verb in German grammar.

musste Examples (Beispiele) in English

musste examples with English translations. See how to use musste in sentences. musste example sentences in English below.

Ich musste jetzt gehen.
I had to go now.
past necessity
Er musste lernen.
He had to study.
past obligation
Sie musste arbeiten.
She had to work.
past necessity
Es musste sein.
It had to be.
past inevitability
Man musste vorsichtig sein.
One had to be careful.
general past obligation
Ich musste nicht kommen.
I didn't have to come.
lack of past obligation
Er musste noch warten.
He still had to wait.
ongoing past obligation
Sie musste das verstehen.
She had to understand that.
past necessity

musste Conjugations (Konjugationen)

musste conjugation (musste Konjugation) in all German tenses: Präsens (Present), Präteritum (Past), Perfekt (Perfect), Futur I & II, Konjunktiv I & II, and Imperativ (Imperative). Learn how to conjugate musste with our complete conjugation table below.

Present Tense (Präsens)

ich
muss
du
musst
er/sie/es
muss
wir
müssen
ihr
müsst
sie/Sie
müssen

Simple Past (Präteritum)

ich
musste
du
musstest
er/sie/es
musste
wir
mussten
ihr
musstet
sie/Sie
mussten

Perfect Tense (Perfekt)

ich
habe gemusst
du
hast gemusst
er/sie/es
hat gemusst
wir
haben gemusst
ihr
habt gemusst
sie/Sie
haben gemusst

Future I (Futur I)

ich
werde müssen
du
wirst müssen
er/sie/es
wird müssen
wir
werden müssen
ihr
werdet müssen
sie/Sie
werden müssen

Future II (Futur II)

ich
werde gemusst haben
du
wirst gemusst haben
er/sie/es
wird gemusst haben
wir
werden gemusst haben
ihr
werdet gemusst haben
sie/Sie
werden gemusst haben

Imperative (Imperativ)

müssen Sie

Subjunctive I (Konjunktiv I)

ich
müsse
du
müssest
er/sie/es
müsse
wir
müssen
ihr
müsset
sie/Sie
müssen

Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II)

ich
müsste
du
müsstest
er/sie/es
müsste
wir
müssten
ihr
müsstet
sie/Sie
müssten

Pluperfect (Plusquamperfekt)

ich
hatte gemusst
du
hattest gemusst
er/sie/es
hatte gemusst
wir
hatten gemusst
ihr
hattet gemusst
sie/Sie
hatten gemusst

musste Word Family - musste Related Words - musste Family Members

musste Word Family (Wortfamilie)

musste word family includes related words, derivatives, and word forms. Learn musste family members with meanings, translations, and usage. Explore musste related words and expand your German vocabulary.

Infinitive Form (Infinitiv Form)
müssen
Meaning: must, to have to
Usage: must, to have to (infinitive form)
Example: Ich musste gehen.
Verb
Present Tense Form (Präsens Form)
muss
Meaning: must, has to
Usage: must (present tense vs. past tense)
Example: Ich muss gehen.
Verb
Second Person Singular (Zweite Person Singular)
musstest
Meaning: had to (you singular)
Usage: had to (second person singular past tense)
Example: Du musstest lernen.
Verb
Plural Form (Plural Form)
mussten
Meaning: had to (we/you plural/they)
Usage: had to (first/third person plural past tense)
Example: Wir mussten lernen.
Verb
Past Participle (Partizip Perfekt)
gemusst
Meaning: had to
Usage: had to (past participle)
Example: Ich habe es gemusst.
Verb
Subjunctive Form (Konjunktiv II Form)
müsste
Meaning: would have to, should have to
Usage: would have to (subjunctive, conditional vs. past tense)
Example: Ich müsste gehen.
Verb
Related Modal Verb (Verwandtes Modalverb)
sollte
Meaning: should, ought to
Usage: should (weaker obligation vs. necessity)
Example: Ich sollte lernen.
Verb
konnte
Meaning: could, was able to
Usage: could (ability vs. necessity)
Example: Ich konnte lernen.
Verb
wollte
Meaning: wanted, wanted to
Usage: wanted (desire vs. necessity)
Example: Ich wollte lernen.
Verb
durfte
Meaning: was allowed to, might
Usage: was allowed to (permission vs. necessity)
Example: Ich durfte lernen.
Verb
Alternative Expression (Alternative Ausdruck)
hatte zu
Meaning: had to
Usage: had to (alternative expression, same meaning)
Example: Ich hatte zu lernen.
Phrase
Related Expression (Verwandter Ausdruck)
war gezwungen
Meaning: was forced to, was compelled to
Usage: was forced to (stronger, implies external pressure)
Example: Ich war gezwungen zu lernen.
Phrase
Opposite Expression (Gegenteiliger Ausdruck)
musste nicht
Meaning: didn't have to
Usage: didn't have to (lack of past obligation)
Example: Ich musste nicht kommen.
Phrase

musste Usage - musste Collocations - musste Idioms - musste Synonyms - musste Antonyms

musste Usage & Related Words (Verwendung & verwandte Wörter)

Learn how to use musste in context. Discover musste collocations (common word combinations), idioms, synonyms, and antonyms. Master musste usage patterns and expand your German vocabulary with related words.

musste Collocations (Kollokationen)

musste collocations are common word combinations that native speakers use. Learn musste word combinations and how to use musste with other words naturally.

musste sein
had to be
High frequency
musste gehen
had to go
High frequency
musste machen
had to do
High frequency
musste kommen
had to come
High frequency
musste lernen
had to learn
High frequency
musste bleiben
had to stay
High frequency
musste sehen
had to see
High frequency
musste haben
had to have
High frequency
musste sagen
had to say
High frequency
musste finden
had to find
High frequency
musste werden
had to become
High frequency
musste nicht
didn't have to
High frequency
musste ich
I had to
High frequency
musste er
he had to
High frequency
musste sie
she had to
High frequency
musste es
it had to
High frequency
man musste
one had to, you had to
High frequency
musste auch
also had to
High frequency
musste noch
still had to
High frequency
musste dann
had to then
High frequency

musste Idioms (Redewendungen)

musste idioms and expressions. Learn German idioms containing musste with meanings and explanations. Master musste expressions used in everyday German.

musste sein
had to be
Expressing past necessity or inevitability
musste ich
I had to
Expressing past personal necessity
man musste
one had to, you had to
Expressing general past obligation or necessity
musste nicht
didn't have to
Expressing lack of past obligation
musste haben
had to have
Expressing past requirement or necessity
musste machen
had to do
Expressing past necessity to perform an action
musste gehen
had to go
Expressing past necessity to leave
musste kommen
had to come
Expressing past necessity to arrive
es musste
it had to
Expressing past necessity or inevitability
musste eigentlich
actually had to, should have had to
Expressing past expected or intended obligation

musste Synonyms (Synonyme)

musste synonyms - words with similar meanings. Find alternative words for musste and expand your German vocabulary. Learn musste similar words and their usage.

muss
Meaning: must, has to
High similarity
müsste
Meaning: would have to, should have to
High similarity
sollte
Meaning: should, ought to
Medium similarity
war gezwungen
Meaning: was forced to, was compelled to
Medium similarity
hatte zu
Meaning: had to
High similarity

musste Antonyms (Antonyme)

musste antonyms - opposite words. Learn words with opposite meanings to musste. Discover musste opposite words and expand your German vocabulary.

musste nicht
Meaning: didn't have to
konnte
Meaning: could, was able to
wollte
Meaning: wanted, wanted to
durfte
Meaning: was allowed to, might

musste Semantically Related Words - musste Contextually Related Words - musste Thematically Related Words

musste Semantically Related Words (Semantisch verwandte Wörter)

musste semantically related words - words that are conceptually or thematically related to musste. Explore musste related vocabulary and discover words in the same semantic field. Learn musste contextually related words to expand your German vocabulary.

Practice this word and related vocabulary

Short multiple-choice practice based on this page: root word, family words, conjugations, idioms, synonyms, collocations, and antonyms. No login required – your results are kept only in this session.

Download GermanPilot App

Learn German on the go! Download our mobile app for Android. Practice vocabulary, grammar, and speaking skills anywhere, anytime.

Android