‘Have to’ and ‘must’
It’s time for 6 Minute Grammar. This week Finn and Alice discuss how we talk about obligations in English using ‘have to’ and must’. Remember, you don’t have to listen to it right now: you can subscribe to the podcast version.
Here’s a question for while you listen: Do you have to drink tea when you visit the UK?
Finn
Hello. Welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Finn.
Alice
And me, Alice. Hello.
Finn
In today’s programme we’re talking about have to and must…
Alice
Have to and must. We’ll look at what they mean…
Finn
We’ll find out how to use them in sentences…
Alice
We’ll have a pronunciation tip…
Finn
And we’ll do some practice with a quiz.
Alice
So let’s get started. We use both must and have to in front of verbs, to talk about obligations – things that are necessary. In natural English, they often have very similar meanings. And here’s Catherine to demonstrate.
Catherine
I have to leave work early today.
I must leave work early today.
Finn
Thanks Catherine. I have to leave and I must leave. Those sentences have pretty similar meanings – but that’s not always the case.
Alice
So let’s look more closely at have to. Catherine.
Catherine
My doctor says I have to lose weight.
If you go to Russia, you have to get a visa.
Alice
So we use have to for things that are necessary – including laws. You can’t go to some countries without a visa – you have to get one.
Finn
Yes, with have to, the obligation usually comes from someone else: a doctor, a government… or maybe your boss.
Alice
And this is where must is sometimes different. Must often suggests that the speaker decided themselves that it’s necessary to do something. Here are some examples:
Catherine
I’m putting on weight. I must join a gym.
I haven’t spoken to my sister this week. I must give her a call.
Finn
So that’s must for personal necessities.
Alice
We can also use must to make recommendations, like this:
Catherine
When you go to Germany, you must try Bratwurst. It’s delicious!
Alice
We sometimes see must in formal notices or rules of an organisation. A hospital sign might say:
Catherine
Visitors must wash their hands before leaving the ward.
Alice
Now, let’s look at negatives. First: don’t have to.
Finn
Ok: if you don’t have to do something, it isn’t necessary to do it, but you can if you want. Catherine.
Catherine
In the UK, you don’t have to drink alcohol in pubs.
Alice
Don’t have to means: it’s your choice. But mustn’t means: don’t do it: It is necessary not to do it.
Catherine
You mustn’t eat meat that’s old.
Finn
In other words: don’t eat meat that’s old – it could make you ill.
Alice
So – we can use mustn’t for both rules, and personal recommendations. Catherine.
Catherine
You mustn’t forget to call your sister!
Passengers must not speak to the driver while the bus is moving.
Alice
Passengers must not… that sounds serious.
Finn
It does. The long form must not is more formal than the short form mustn’t.
IDENT
You’re listening to BBC Learning English dot com.
Finn
And we’re talking about must and have to. Now, a quick word about tenses.
Alice
Yes: it’s important to note that we don’t use must in the future or the past. Instead, it’s will have to for the future and had to for the past. Catherine.
Catherine
You must talk to your doctor. You’ll have to see her tomorrow.
You didn’t have to answer all the questions in yesterday’s exam, but you must answer all the questions in today’s exam.
Finn
Now: time for that pronunciation tip we promised you.
Alice
Yes: In natural speech, have to and must can get a bit squashed.
Catherine
I have to go to the doctor.
I must join a gym.
Alice
So have to sounds like hafta: I have to [hafta] go to the doctor. Hafta.
Finn
And must sounds like ‘mus’ without the final ‘t’ sound: I ‘musjoin’ a gym. ‘Mus’.
Alice
So listen out for those sounds in our quiz.
Finn
Ooh yes, we must have a quiz before we go. I’ll say a sentence with must. You decide if I’m talking about a rule or if it’s just a personal recommendation. Ready? Number 1. I need some exercise. I must go to the gym.
Alice
And that’s a personal recommendation.
Finn
That’s right… number 2. Again, is this a rule or is it a personal recommendation? You mustn’t smoke in the building.
Alice
No smoking in the buildings – that’s a rule.
Finn
That’s right. Number 3. I’m going to say a sentence in the present tense, and you have to put it into the past. Here goes: I must have a cup of tea!
Alice
And in the past it’s: I had to have a cup of tea.
Finn
Well done if you got all those right!
Alice
There’s lots more about must and have to on our website at bbclearningenglish.com. Join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar.
All
Bye.
Grammar Reference
Unit 5 – ‘Have to’ and ‘must’ (obligation)
Meaning and use
If you have to do something, it is necessary for you to do it. It’s a law, an obligation or a fact.
You have to get a visa if you want to go to Russia.
According to our agreement, we have to send these orders to our client today.
I have to go to the doctor later today.
If you must do something, it is necessary for you to do it, but this is often your opinion or a rule that you have made yourself.
I must remember to buy a birthday card for Alice today.
We see must (not have to) in formal written notices or rules that an organization has made itself.
All students must be at the examination hall fifteen minutes before the exam.
We can often use either have to or must in a sentence. But be careful! There a big difference in meaning between don’t have to and mustn’t.If you don’t have to do something, it isn’t necessary to do it, but you can if you want.
You don’t have to finish the spreadsheet today. Tomorrow will be fine.
If you mustn’t do something, it means ‘don’t do it’. It is necessary not to do it.
Employees mustn’t send passwords by email.
I mustn’t make any mistakes this time.
Form
We use have to / must + infinitive without ‘to’. Must is the same form for all persons (I, you, he, she, etc.). Have to changes to has to in the third person singular (he, she, it).
Positive
Karen has to get up at six every day in order to get to work on time.
You must drive more carefully or you will have an accident.
Negative
You don’t have to take a towel. The swimming pool provides them.
They’re expecting us to call so we mustn’t forget.
Questions
It is possible to ask questions with Must + subject…? but it is much more common to use Do/Does + subject + have to…?
Do I have to come to the meeting tomorrow? (Must I come to the meeting tomorrow?)
Take note: the future and the past
There is no future or past form of must. We use will have to (future)and had to (past).
It’s too late now. You’ll have to talk toher tomorrow.
All the trains were cancelled, so we had to get a taxi.
Did you have to write it all again?
Take note: have got to
In informal British English, we sometimes use have got to instead of have to. They mean the same.
You’ve got to get a visa if you want to go to Russia.
Have we got to send these orders today?
Spoken English
Have to and must are modal verbs. When we say modal verbs, we usually say them quickly and often without emphasis. So have to sounds like ‘hafta’(haf tə). Must sounds like ‘mus’ (məs). You don’t hear the final /t/ sound in must.