The difference between “müssen” and “dürfen” in German</a>
When studying German, you will get to know the two verbs “müssen,” and “dürfen” quite quickly as people constantly use them. Yet, many students find it confusing to choose the right verb. Therefore, this article aims to explain the difference between “müssen” and “dürfen” in German.
“Müssen” vs. “dürfen”
To have a good foundation, you should know that the German verb “müssen” means “to must” or “to have to,” and the translation of “dürfen” is to “be allowed to.”
To improve your skills, check out the self-studying book A-Grammar: German grammar exercises for levels A1 & A2, which includes all grammar aspects, English descriptions, explanations, and an answer book. Also, you can take a look at this.
Recommended study materials on the topic:
Exercise – German modal verbs in the present tense (incl. answers)
Exercise – German modal verbs in the past tense (incl. answers)
Conversation exercise – speaking with modal verbs in the present tense
Conversation exercise – speaking with modal verbs in the past tense
A-Grammar: Practice German grammar German (incl. answers)
German self-study book for A1-B1 (incl. answers)
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The verb “müssen”
The verb “müssen” is part of the modal auxiliary verb group. This means that if you use the verb “müssen,” you always need to add a second verb to your sentence because otherwise, it is grammatically wrong. However, when talking, people tend to use modal verbs without a second verb, but you should never (!) do that when writing or trying to pass a German exam because it is a mistake.
An example of this is:
A: “Musst du wirklich schon gehen?” (“Do you really have to go already?”)
B: “Ja, ich muss.” (“Yes, I have to.”)
Usually, there is a difference between the conjugation of all singular persons in the general German verb conjugation, but this does not apply to the modal verbs. The first-person singular (ich) and the third-person singular (er, sie, es) share the same conjugated verb form (as you can see in the table below). Also, as most modal verbs are irregular and come with a shift in the vowels, the “ü” of “müssen” becomes an “u” for the singular persons in the present tense. You should also remember that Germans generally use “müssen” in Präteritum (simple past) and not in Perfekt.
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Conjugation of “müssen”
The usage of “müssen”
In German, you use the verb “müssen” if you have to do something or if you must do something. This means by using this verb; you can express an obligation. For instance: “Ich muss das Buch lesen! (I have to read the book.). However, when trying to negate “müssen” there is a common misunderstanding between German and English. Though “must” and “have to” are synonymous, they are not when it comes to their negation because “must not” in English means “not to be allowed to” and not “do not have to.” Therefore it is a prohibition, and if you wish to express “must not” in German, you need to use the verb “dürfen” which will be explained in the following.
For example: Ich muss heute nicht in die Schule gehen. – I do not have to go to school today (but I would be allowed if I wanted to)
“Müssen” + verb
As this article mentioned, “müssen” generally needs a second verb. Forming a classical German declarative sentence means putting the second verb to the very end. Besides, there is no need to conjugate the second verb; you can leave it in the infinitive form (e.g., machen, singen, laufen …)
For instance:
The verb “dürfen”
As already discussed at the beginning of this article, the verb “dürfen” means “to be allowed to” or “may.” Since it is also part of the “modal verb group,” it requires a second verb. Though this verb is also grammatically wrong, people sometimes use it without a second verb when speaking, as you can already see with “müssen.”
An example of this is:
A: “Darf ich mich setzen?” (“May I sit? Am I allowed to sit?”)
B: “Ja, du darfst.” (“Yes, you may. / Yes, you are allowed to.”)
Also, for “dürfen,” the first person singular (ich) and the third person singular (er, sie, es) share the same conjugated verb form. In addition, “dürfen” is an irregular verb, and therefore, its “ü” becomes an “a” for all singular persons in the present tense. Additionally, it would be best to use “dürfen” in Präteritum (simple past) and not in Perfekt.
Conjugation of “dürfen”
The usage of “dürfen”
As already mentioned, you should use the verb “dürfen” if you would like to express permission or prohibition. Or, in other words, you can use it if you want to say: “to be allowed to,” “may,” “must not,” “not to be allowed to” or “may not.” Also, with “dürfen,” the second verb goes to the end of the sentence and stands in the infinitive form.
“Dürfen” + verb
To be allowed to or to have to?
After reading this article, I hope you fully understood the difference between “müssen” and “dürfen.” You can also check out the song “Du must gar nix” for an example of how Germans use “müssen”. To know more about other modal verbs, you can check the difference between “wollen” and “möchten.”
Bis bald!
Steffie
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