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German frequency list

No. 100 in German

musste

"Musste" means "had to" in English.

In a sentence

  • Ich musste gestern früh aufstehen.

    I had to get up early yesterday.

    In this sentence, "musste" indicates a necessity or obligation in the past, where the subject had to perform a specific action.

  • Er wusste, dass er pünktlich sein musste.

    He knew he had to be punctual.

    Here, "musste" expresses a conditional necessity regarding someone's actions in a specific past situation.

  • Wir mussten wegen des Regens drinnen bleiben.

    We had to stay indoors because of the rain.

    This usage of "musste" reflects a past compulsion or need as dictated by external circumstances.

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