müssen

Meaning

1. (auxiliary,preterite-present) to have to (do something); must; to be obliged (to do something); to need (to do something).
2. (intransitive,preterite-present) to have to do something implied; must; to be obliged.
3. (colloquial,euphemistic,preterite-present) to need to go to the bathroom.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmʏsən/

Etymology

From Middle High German muozen, from Old High German muozan, from Proto-West Germanic *mōtan.
The closeness to the original diphthong can for example still be seen in the Bavarian first and third person singular, where one says I muas (I must) or Ea/Si/Es muas (He/she/it must).

Sentences

Wir müssen beginnen , Geschichte zu schreiben .

We have started to write history.

Es müssen auch alle in dieselbe Richtung ziehen .

Everyone has to pull in the same direction.

Müssen sie ihre Namen in den Zeitungen lesen ?

Do they have to read their names in the newspapers?

Meine Geschichten müssen keinen Sinn ergeben .

My stories don't have to make sense.

Wir müssen vielleicht gar nicht so weit in die Ferne blicken .

Perhaps we do not have to look too far.

Diese Unternehmen müssen wir schützen und die anderen anprangern .

We need to protect this type of arrangement and denounce other things.

Der Rat wird dann unseren Standpunkten sehr wohl Rechnung tragen müssen .

The Council will then have no choice but to take account of our views.

Wir müssen produzieren , um wettbewerbsfähig zu sein .

We must create in order to compete.