Musé

Musí is a Czech verb meaning must or has to, used as a modal auxiliary to express obligation or necessity. It functions with an infinitive verb, for example: Musí pracovat, aby uživil rodinu (He/She must work to support the family).

In Czech, musí is the present tense form for the third-person singular and plural of the verb muset, which is the infinitive meaning to have to or must. The full present-tense paradigm is: já musím, ty musíš, on/ona/to musí, my musíme, vy musíte, oni musí. The third-person form musí therefore covers both singular and plural subject in everyday speech, with context determining the exact subject.

The verb expresses external obligation or necessity rather than personal desire. It often appears with clauses introduced by an infinitive or a subordinate clause indicating purpose or reason. It is common to hear: Musí dorazit včas (They/He/She must arrive on time) or: Musím se učit, abych zvládl zkoušku (I must study to pass the exam).

Etymology and related forms: muset likely has Germanic influence and cognates in related Slavic languages, such as Polish musieć and Slovak musieť. It is considered a modal verb, distinct from mít možnosti (moci, smět), which express ability or permission.

In usage, muset can be contrasted with moci (to be able to) and smět (to be allowed). In formal contexts, alternatives like být nucen or mít povinnost may be used to emphasize obligation.