müsse

Müsste is a form of the German verb müssen, used in the Konjunktiv I (present subjunctive). It expresses reported or hypothetical necessity or obligation in formal or written language. The infinitive muss­sen is the base, and müs­se is the Konjunktiv I first-person singular form; other persons have different endings, for example: du müsstest, er müsse, wir müssten, ihr müsstet, sie müssten.

In practice, müs­se appears mainly in indirect speech and formal writing. It indicates what someone says or believes to be necessary without asserting it as a fact. For instance: Der Sprecher sagte, er müsse heute kommen. In a subordinate clause introduced by dass or in reported speech, müs­se conveys the reported obligation rather than a direct assertion by the speaker.

Usage notes and contrasts:

- Konjunktiv I is common in journalism, reports, and formal documentation to maintain distance from the asserted content.

- The corresponding Konjunktiv II, müsste, expresses hypothetical or unreal obligation or a condition, and is used for more speculative or contrary-to-fact contexts.

- In everyday spoken German, speakers often replace Konjunktiv I with indicative forms or with würden + infinitive (ich würde müssen) for clarity, especially in questions or casual speech.

Examples:

- Der Bericht behauptet, er müsse morgen kommen.

- Man sagte, er müsse heute noch anrufen.

- Wenn er müßte, könnte er es möglicherweise tun. (Note: preferred in many contexts is müsste for hypothetical situations.)

See also: müssen (the verb), Konjunktiv I, Konjunktiv II, indirect speech.