⏳🚶

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

Ich muss bald los.

ikh moos bahlt lohs

[ikh moos bahlt lohs]

💬 Usage Tip: With muss "have to", German often leaves out the word for going: Ich muss los is complete and natural. The same works with Ich muss nach Hause "I have to go home".

Phrase Breakdown

Ich muss

ikh moos

I have to

'Ich' has a soft 'ch' sound, like a gentle hiss. 'muss' has a short 'u' and comes from 'müssen' (must, have to).

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.

bald los.

bahlt lohs

leave soon.

'bald' means soon. 'los' is used informally with 'müssen' to mean 'to leave'. The 'o' in 'los' is long, like 'lohs'.

Example

Wir müssen bald los.

We have to leave soon.

Words in this phrase

bald

[bahlt]

soon

An adverb meaning soon; common in friendly farewells.

Example

Ich hoffe, wir sprechen bald nach der Messe noch einmal.

I hope we speak again soon after the fair.

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

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.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Berlin bureaucracy requires real German. This app got me from zero to handling my Anmeldung appointment in three weeks. My coworkers couldn’t believe it.”

Emma L., 27, UX Researcher

“Relocated to Munich with my family. The everyday scenarios — grocery shopping, doctor visits, school meetings — are exactly what we needed to settle in.”

Marcus J., 40, Engineer

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer