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How to Say ‘I have to go now.’ in German

Ich muss jetzt los.

ikh moos yetst lohs

[ikh moos yetst lohs]

💬 Usage Tip: los does the job of the verb "go" here; with muss, no gehen is needed. The same pattern gives Wir müssen los "We have to go".

Phrase Breakdown

Ich muss

ikh moos

I have to

'müssen' means 'must' or 'have to'. 'muss' rhymes with 'puss'.

Example

Ich muss arbeiten.

I have to work.

Words in this phrase

Ich

[ikh]

The pronoun 'ich' in nominative form.

Example

Ich bin da.

I am here.

muss

[moos]

must / have to

Form of 'müssen' for 'ich' and 'er/sie/es'; expresses necessity.

Example

Muss ich die Reservierung bestätigen?

Do I have to confirm the reservation?

jetzt los.

yetst lohs

go now.

'los' here means 'off' or 'leaving', so 'los müssen' means 'to have to leave'. 'jetzt' sounds like 'yetst'.

Example

Wir müssen jetzt los.

We have to go now.

Words in this phrase

jetzt

[yetst]

now

At the present time.

Example

Ich gehe jetzt.

I'm going now.

los

[lohs]

off / leave

Used with modal verbs to mean 'have to leave/go'.

Example

Wir müssen jetzt los.

We have to leave now.

Guides for German learners

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