Nemusím

Nemusím is a Czech verb form meaning “I don’t have to” or “I needn’t.” It is the first-person singular present tense negative form of the verb muset, which expresses obligation or necessity. Nemusím highlights the absence of a required action and is used with an infinitive to indicate what is not required. It contrasts with musím (I must) and nesmím (I must not).

In usage, nemusím is followed by an infinitive to describe the action that is not necessary. For example: Nemusím dnes ráno vstávat brzy. (I don’t have to get up early today.) Nemusíš chodit na schůzku, pokud se ti nechce. (You don’t have to go to the meeting if you don’t feel like it.) On/ona nemusí pracovat o víkendu. (He/She doesn’t have to work on the weekend.) My nemusíme platit plnou cenu. (We don’t have to pay full price.) Vy nemusíte dělat nic, co nechcete. (You don’t have to do anything you don’t want.) Oni nemusí přijít, pokud se ti něco stane. (They don’t have to come if something happens to you.)

Etymology and related forms: muset is a West Slavic verb related to Polish musieć and Slovak musieť; its exact origin is uncertain. Nemusím is the negative form used with the same stem to convey lack of obligation. The negated forms for other persons follow the same pattern (nemusíš, nemusí, nemusíme, nemusíte, nemusí). In translation, nemusím generally corresponds to “I don’t have to” or “I needn’t.”