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

Ich muss leider los.

ikh moos LY-der lohs

[ikh moos LY-der lohs]

💬 Usage Tip: There's no verb for "go" here. los "off" alone does the job after muss. Same with wir müssen los "we have to go".

Phrase Breakdown

Ich muss

ikh moos

I have to

'Muss' comes from 'müssen' (must, have to). The 'u' is short, like in 'put'.

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

Shows necessity or obligation.

Example

Ich muss Bescheid geben., weil das Restaurant planen muss.

I have to let them know because the restaurant has to plan.

leider los.

LY-der lohs

unfortunately go.

'Leider' means 'unfortunately' and is pronounced 'LYE-der'. 'Los' here means 'to leave'. 'Ich muss los' means 'I have to go'.

Example

Wir müssen leider los.

Unfortunately, we have to go.

Words in this phrase

leider

[LY-der]

unfortunately

A polite way to introduce bad news or say something does not work.

Example

Leider kann ich den Termin nicht wahrnehmen.

Unfortunately, I can’t make the appointment.

los

[lohs]

go / let's go

A short motivating word used to start action.

Example

Los, wir gehen jetzt zur Bühne.

Come on, we’re going to the stage now.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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