moeten
must, have to
Beginner Verb
🔊
Pronunciation
/ˈmu.tən/
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Cultural Note
'Moeten' expresses obligation and necessity. 'Je moet eens naar Nederland komen!' (You really should come to the Netherlands!) is a friendly invitation. The Dutch use 'moet' more sparingly than English 'must' — they prefer suggestion over command.
📝 Example Sentences
Ik moet morgen vroeg opstaan.
I have to get up early tomorrow.
Je moet je huiswerk maken!
You must do your homework!
We moesten lang wachten.
We had to wait a long time.