moeten

Moeten is a Dutch modal auxiliary verb used to express obligation, necessity, or strong likelihood. It typically accompanies another verb in the infinitive to indicate that something must be done, often due to rules, expectations, or personal necessity. In subordinate clauses it is common to use meteen het infinitief van de hoofdwerkwoord.

Conjugation and syntax: In the present tense the forms are ik moet, jij moet, hij/zij/het moet, wij moeten, jullie moeten, zij moeten. The simple past uses moest for all persons: ik moest, jij moest, hij moest, wij moesten, jullie moesten, zij moesten. Moeten pairs with other verbs to show obligation rather than the main action; the main verb appears in its infinitive (e.g., moeten praten) or as a past participle in perfect tenses. In perfect tenses the construction is typically hebben/ zijn + moeten (in infinitive) + [main verb in past participle], as in ik heb het moeten doen or ik had het moeten weten.

Usage notes: Moeten expresses external obligation (a rule, a demand, or a necessity perceived by the speaker) and can convey stronger urgency than willen or kunnen. It often contrasts with mogen (permission) and hoeven in nuances of necessity. The negation niet hoeven indicates lack of necessity (not required to do something), as in Ik hoef vandaag niet te komen. In conditional or hypothetical contexts, moet kan also appear in polite or strategic phrases, and phrases like het moet wel zo zijn emphasize a confident conclusion.

Etymology and cognates: Moeten is related to German müssen and English must, reflecting a shared Germanic origin. The word is deeply embedded in Dutch grammar as one of the core modal verbs, alongside kunnen, mogen, willen, en zullen.