Must

/mʌst/

Spanish Translation

deber

Part of Speech

  • modal verb
  • noun

Word Forms

  • must
  • must have
  • mustn't

Etymology

From Old English moste, past tense of motan ('to be able, to be obliged').

Del inglés antiguo moste, pasado de motan ('ser capaz, estar obligado').

Meanings

modal verb

Expressing necessity or obligation.

Expresa necesidad u obligación.

You must finish your homework.

Debes terminar tu tarea.

noun

Something that is essential or necessary.

Algo que es esencial o necesario.

A good education is a must.

Una buena educación es indispensable.

Example Sentences

I must go to the store.

Debo ir a la tienda.

You mustn't forget your keys.

No debes olvidar tus llaves.

We must act now.

Debemos actuar ahora.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Phrases

  • It is a must
    Es un deber
  • Must-see
    De visita obligada
  • You must be joking!
    ¡Debes estar bromeando!

Idioms

  • There must be something in the water
    Algo raro está pasando
  • Actions speak louder than words
    Obras son amores y no buenas razones
  • It is what it is
    Es lo que hay
  • Easier said than done
    Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho
  • Kill two birds with one stone
    Matar dos pájaros de un tiro

Proverbs

  • Necessity is the mother of invention
    La necesidad agudiza el ingenio
  • Where there's a will, there's a way
    Querer es poder
  • Better late than never
    Más vale tarde que nunca
  • Honesty is the best policy
    La honestidad es la mejor política
  • Practice makes perfect
    La práctica hace al maestro

Usage Notes

'Must' is used to express obligation, necessity, or strong probability.

'Must' se usa para expresar obligación, necesidad o fuerte probabilidad.

Notes for Learners

  • 'Must' is a modal verb and does not change form.

    'Must' es un verbo modal y no cambia de forma.

  • The negative form is 'must not' or 'mustn't'.

    La forma negativa es 'must not' o 'mustn't'.

  • Use 'have to' to express general obligation, as 'must' is often used for specific situations.

    Usa 'have to' para expresar la obligación general, ya que 'must' se usa a menudo para situaciones específicas.

Collocations

  • must do
    deber hacer
  • must see
    deber ver
  • must have
    deber tener

Common Mistakes

  • Confusing 'must' with 'have to'.

    Confundir 'must' con 'have to'.

  • Incorrect use of 'mustn't' vs. 'don't have to'.

    Uso incorrecto de 'mustn't' vs. 'don't have to'.

  • Using deber for must/should interchangeable

    Usar deber como intercambiable entre must/should

Learning Tips

  • Use 'must' to express strong recommendations.

    Usa 'must' para expresar fuertes recomendaciones.

  • Remember that 'must' implies the speaker's authority.

    Recuerda que 'must' implica la autoridad del hablante.

  • Practice using 'must' in different contexts.

    Practica usar 'must' en diferentes contextos.