TOP
Welcome - Site Maps: Mobile - Desktop
Smartphone Verbs Home

Dutch Verb 'Moeten' (to Have to, 'be obliged to,' 'Ought to,' 'Should,' 'Must') - Smartphones Page

There are many words for moeten click to hear 2 in English: 'need,' "must," 'to have to,' 'got to,' 'should,' 'is due' 'ought to,' 'to be obliged to,' 'want' - an obligation or a necessity, or sometimes just something that happened, could not be avoided - it may be that the Dutch describing this concept is easier, but then also less precise. I may not get the English exactly right.

Conjugation
Sample Sentences:
Present Tense

Past Tense
Perfect Tense
'Hoeven'
Related Words

Moeten click to hear 2 is a very unusual strong verb: it's not the vowel/diphthong that changes for the past tense, but a consonant is added (I can't think of any other Dutch strong verb that only has a consonant change for the simple past tense)

moeten
to have to
- moest
had to
- (gemoeten)
had to
click to hear

overview
moeten to have to (etc.)
ik moet I have to
wij moeten we have to
ik moest I had to
wij moesten we had to
click to hear 2

simple present tense
moeten to have to (etc.)
ik moet I have to
jij moet you have to (singular, informal you)
hij moet he has to
wij moeten we have to
jullie moeten you have to (plural, informal you)
zij moeten they have to
U moet you have to (polite you)
click to hear
The verb root moet click to hear 2 3 already ends in T - there is no T added for the second and third person singular

simple past tense
ik moest I had to
jij moest you had to
hij moest he had to
wij moesten we had to
jullie moesten y'all had to
zij moesten they had to
U moest you had to
click to hear

The perfect tense 'ik heb gemoeten' click to hear 2 'I had to' is very unusual. Actually, I can't think of any example that uses the past participle 'gemoeten.' A more common construction is 'ik heb moeten' click to hear 2 followed by a verb infinitive - more below
auxiliary verb hebben

Sample Sentences - Present Tense

Er moet nog hard gewerkt worden click to hear It still needs a lot of [hard working] work
('worden' is usually dropped from this standard phrase)

We moeten met de trein terug naar Amsterdam click to hear 2 We need to catch the train back to Amsterdam

Je moet wel willen click to hear 2
Je moet 't wel willen click to hear [You really have to want (it)] - You need a strong desire (for it) - It's only going to work -or- I'm only going to help you if you have a strong wish for it ('fire in the belly')

Ik moet toch weten wat er gebeurt in de wereld click to hear 2 3 I really need to know what's going on in the world

Je moet 't zelf weten click to hear 2 3 ["You need to 'know' it yourself"] - It's up to you, you must take the decision yourself (with a strong undertone that it never was the speaker's responsibility, the addressee is ignoring his advice: it's not my problem, I wash my hands of it, "It's your funeral"

Je moet stil zijn click to hear You have to be quiet Als het concert begint moet je stil zijn click to hear When the concert starts you have to be quiet Als de muziek begint moet je stil zijn click to hear When the music starts you have to be quiet

Je moet het zelf doen click to hear 2 3 You have to do it yourself

Je moet voorzichtig zijn click to hear 2 3 You have to be careful Je moet beter oppassen click to hear 2 3 You have to pay more attention, you should be more careful

Iemand zal een oplossing moeten vinden click to hear Someone will have to find a solution

Als het licht rood wordt moet je stoppen click to hear 2 3 When the light turns red you have to stop Als het licht rood is moet je stoppen click to hear 2 3 When the light is red you have to stop

Als 't moet click to hear 2 If it has to be

Er moet ergens een lek zijn click to hear There has to be a leak somewhere

Er moet een betere manier zijn click to hear 2 3 There has to be a better way (to do something)

Die week moet ik werken click to hear That week I have to work, that week I'm working

Hoe laat moet je opstaan? click to hear 2 What time do you have to get up?

'Dan moet je vroeger opstaan' click to hear 2 3 (saying) 'Then you'll have to get up earlier' - i.e. for that you'll have to be more alert and more active

Ik moet om acht uur weg click to hear I have to leave at eight o'clock

... dat ik zei 'Nou moet ik gaan' click to hear 2 ... that I said 'now I have to [go] leave'

Ik moet om acht uur op m'n werk zijn click to hear 2 3 I have to be at work at 8

Moet je nog eten? click to hear 2 3 Do you still have to eat? Have you not eaten yet?

Moeten we al zo gauw weg? click to hear 2 3 Do we have to leave that [quickly] soon?

Vandaag moet ik een boom omzagen in Heelsum click to hear Today I have to cut down a tree in Heelsum

We moeten doorgaan click to hear 2 3 We have to continue (with what we're doing) - we can't give up

Waarom moet het zo moeilijk zijn? click to hear 2 Why does it have to be so difficult? Waarom kan 't niet gemakkelijk zijn? click to hear 2 Why can't it be easy?

't Moet wel leuk blijven click to hear 2 3 [It has to stay nice] - Keep it nice, don't let it become unpleasant

Je moet 't goed in de gaten houden click to hear 2 3 (saying) You have to watch it closely

Je moet de sokken d'r in zetten click to hear 2 3 (saying) ["You have to put the socks in it"] - 'run faster,' 'speed up'

Wie niet sterk is moet slim zijn click to hear (saying) ['Those who are not strong (powerful) ...'] - 'If you're not strong you have to be clever'

Moet je overstappen? click to hear Do you have to change trains? (buses, planes)

Ik moet in Zwolle overstappen click to hear 2 I have to change trains in Zwolle

Ik moet er vandoor click to hear 2 I gotta go, I have to get going, I have to leave now

Er moet iets veranderen click to hear 2 Something got to change

Vis moet zwemmen click to hear 2 3 4 Fish got to swim (When you're eating fish you should drink)

Je moet ermee leren leven click to hear 2 3 You'll have to learn to live with it (something bad or unpleasant isn't going away)

Hoe laat moet ik je wakker maken? click to hear What time should I wake you up?

Moeten we de dijken nog verder verhogen? click to hear Should we, do we have to raise the dikes still further?

Je moet wat drinken click to hear 2 3 You should drink something (hydrate)

Als je vis eet moet je ook wat drinken click to hear 2 3 4 When you're [eating] having fish, you should also drink (something)

Je moet ijzer smeden als 't heet is click to hear 2 3 You should ['smith'] forge iron when it's hot

Je moet je ontspannen click to hear 2 3 You should relax. Relax!

Je moet met je tijd meegaan click to hear 2 3 slow You should [go along with] adapt to the (changing) times

Daar moet je mee ophouden click to hear 2 You should stop doing that, Stop that!

Je moet niet flauw worden click to hear 2 3 ["You shouldn't start feeling weak"] ~You should eat something

Je moet niet overdrijven click to hear 2 You shouldn't exaggerate

Je moet je d'r niet mee bemoeien click to hear 2 You shouldn't meddle, you should stay out of it

We moeten er wat aan doen click to hear 2 We should do something about it We kunnen niet zo doorgaan click to hear 2 3 We can't go on like this Je moet er wat aan doen click to hear 2 3 4 You should do something about it

Ik moet naar de kapper click to hear 2 I should go to [see] the hairdresser, I should get a haircut

Ik moet met 't eten aan de gang click to hear ['I should get going with the food'] - I should start cooking

Dat moet eerst op click to hear 2 3 4 [That should first be finished] - We should use (or eat) that first

Ik weet niet wat ik moet doen click to hear 2 I don't know what I should do, what to do

Weet jij hoe je het moet zeggen? click to hear Do you know how you should say it, how to say it?

Je moet een gegeven paard niet in de bek kijken click to hear 2 3 You shouldn't look into the mouth of a gift horse - Do not inspect gifts

Daar moet je mee oppassen click to hear 2 3 4 You should be careful with that, You'd better be careful with that

Moet je niet doen! click to hear You shouldn't do that, don't do that, not a good idea to do that

Moet kunnen! click to hear 2 It should be possible! There shouldn't be a problem with it

Ik moet er niet aan denken click to hear 2 I don't want to think about it, it's too horrible to contemplate

Ik moet naar ... click to hear 2 3 I want to go to ... (travel destination)

Ze moet je dringend spreken click to hear 2 She urgently wants to talk to you also:  Ze wil je dringend spreken click to hear 2 She wants to talk to you urgently

Het moet van z'n moeder click to hear 2 3 It is required by his mother, ~his mother wants it

The Past Tense of 'Moeten'

Ik moest gras maaien click to hear I had to mow [grass] the lawn

Ik moest rennen om de bus te halen click to hear 2 3 I had to run to catch the bus

Moest je overstappen? click to hear 2 3 Did you have to change trains? (buses, planes)

Moest je lang wachten? click to hear 2 3 4 Did you have to wait long?

Ik moest me overgeven click to hear 2 3 I had to surrender

We moesten hard werken click to hear We had to work hard

't Moest niet mogen click to hear 2 3 4 It shouldn't be allowed, how can a thing like that happen, 'How does the Lord allow?' But usually this is said in the slang version: 't Most niet magge click to hear 2

"Je moest je schamen" click to hear 2 You should be ashamed of yourself

There's not always an obligation, necessity or something that couldn't be avoided, moeten is sometimes used for things that just happen, like

Ik moest overgeven click to hear 'I had to throw up' is not much different from:
Ik heb overgegeven click to hear 2 3 4 5 I have thrown up

Sometimes English doesn't use a word like 'moeten'
Hij zei dat ik het aan Jan moest geven click to hear 2 3 He said to give it to John

The Perfect Tense of 'Moeten'

As briefly mentioned in the verb declination overview, 'modal' verbs like 'moeten' do not employ past participles in the perfect tense but infinitives. The perfect tense is not Ik heb gemoeten click to hear 2 (recorded without thinking) but ik heb moeten click to hear 2
- see also

Ik heb moeten leren click to hear 2 I've had to learn

Ik heb moeten leren lezen click to hear I've had to learn to read

Ik heb moeten leren improviseren click to hear 2 I've had to learn to improvise, improvisation

Ik heb moeten laten zien click to hear I've had to [let see] show

Ik heb moeten constateren dat ... click to hear [I've had to observe, I've had to find out that ...] - I have unfortunately found out that ... (and I'm not happy about it)

Dat had ik niet moeten zeggen click to hear 2 I should not have said that (an apology or recognition of a mistake)

Dàt had ik moeten zeggen click to hear 2 3 Thàt's what I should have said (finding the right phrase too late)

Ik had moeten weten dat ... click to hear I should have known that ... (something I forgot to think of)

Je zou beter moeten weten click to hear 2 You should know better, You should have known better (Are you ignorant? I'm disappointed in you)

Daar had je aan moeten denken click to hear 2 (3 4) You should have thought of that

Dat had ik veel eerder moeten doen click to hear 2 (3 4) I should have done that [much earlier] long ago

Dat had ik niet moeten doen click to hear 2 3 I shouldn't have done that With a different stress the line takes on a somewhat different meaning:
Dat had ik NIET moeten doen click to hear That's what I shouldn't have done, that's what was wrong

Ik had geschiedenis moeten gaan studeren click to hear I should have studied history in college (or university,) I should have chosen history as a student

het moeten toegeven van fouten click to hear (the) having to admit to mistakes het moeten toegeven fouten gemaakt te hebben click to hear 2 3 (the) having to admit to having made mistakes Ik moest toegeven fouten te hebben gemaakt click to hear 2 3 I had to admit to having made mistakes

'het heilige moeten' click to hear 2 3 'the sacred duty' - a very strong urge to perform a certain task

(de) moet click to hear 2 3 is a technical term for the impression made in the paper in old-fashioned printing, 'dent'

In Dutch, D's at the end of words are pronounced as T's, so (de) moed click to hear sounds exactly the same as 'moet' but it means 'courage' - moedig click to hear 2 is 'brave, courageous'
(het) moetje click to hear 2 is a marriage forced by pregnancy

'Moet' click to hear 2 3 is also part of several compound words but without the 'obligation' meaning, for instance ontmoeten click to hear 2 ('to meet' - to come across one or more people by chance or arrangement) ->>
- de) ontmoeting click to hear 2 - a meeting of that kind
and tegemoet click to hear ('towards,' "to meet ")
- (de) tegemoetkoming click to hear 2 ('compensation')
Een onzekere toekomst tegemoet click to hear 2 3 Towards an uncertain future
English 'to meet' can also mean people sitting around a table discussing things like business, science or government. The Dutch word for that is vergaderen click to hear - think of 'gathering' for deliberations. A meeting of that kind is (de) vergadering click to hear

'Hoeven'

Dutch 'hoeven' click to hear is usually used with the negatives niet click to hear 2 ('not, do not') or geen click to hear ('no, zero quantity') and then means 'don't need, no need, not necessary, don't want, don't have to'

ik hoef click to hear 2 - wij hoeven click to hear 2 - ik hoefde click to hear 2

(You could think it should be 'hoefte' because F is in the " 't kofschip" - but the verb is 'hoeven' - the weak verbs of the V/F and Z/S shift get D in the simple past tense and the past participle - more)
'Hoeven' does not have a past participle; when in the perfect tense combined with other verbs the infinitive hoeven click to hear is used - more

Ik hoef geen bonnetje click to hear 2 I don't need a (cash register) receipt

Hij hoefde zich niet te bewijzen click to hear He didn't have to prove himself

Van mij hoeft 't niet click to hear 2 For me it's not necessary, ~I don't need it (I don't care)

Je hoeft niet weg te gaan click to hear 2 3 You don't have to [go away] leave (you can stay, for example for dinner) Je hoeft 't niet te doen click to hear 2 You don't have to do it, you can leave it alone

Je hoeft niet bang te zijn click to hear 2 3
You don't have to be afraid, there's no reason to be afraid

't Hoeft niet grappig te zijn click to hear 2 3 4 It doesn't have to be funny 't Moet wel interessant zijn click to hear 2 [But] it has to be interesting

Je hoeft geen 'U' te zeggen click to hear 2 3 4 You don't have to say 'U' (the polite address) Je mag wel 'je' zeggen click to hear 2 It's OK to say 'je' now (the informal address)

Dat hoeft niet click to hear 2 3 There is no need to do that, you don't have to do that

Ik hoef helemaal niks click to hear 2 3 Literally: 'I don't need anything at all' but usually meaning 'I don't need to do anything' (you can't make me do anything and/or I shouldn't feel any obligations, I only do what I want to do)

We hoeven niet te blijven click to hear 2 3 We don't have to stay (we can leave if we want to)

Ik hoefde niet te wachten click to hear 2 I didn't have to wait

Dàt hoef ik niet te horen click to hear 2 I don't [need] want to hear that (music) Ik hoef 't niet te zien click to hear 2 3 1. I don't need to see it
2. I don't want to see it

Ik hoef alleen maar brood click to hear 2 3 4 I only need bread, all I want is bread

't Hoeft alleen wat verf te hebben click to hear 2 3 [It only needs some paint] - All it needs is some paint, with a little paint the item will be OK

Dat hoeft maar eens per jaar click to hear 2 3 4 That only needs to be done once a year, that only requires action once a year

Dat hoeft pas als je twinitg wordt click to hear 2 3 That only needs to be done at when you reach age 20, that only requires action at age 20

Ik hoef m'n telefoon maar eens in de week op te laden click to hear 2 3 I only need to charge my phone once a week, my phone only needs to be charged once a week

Er hoeft maar iets te gebeuren of 't gaat helemaal mis click to hear 2 3 4 [It only needs a little something to happen and it'll go completely wrong] - Any little thing can offset the precarious balance and lead to disaster

't Is immers duidelyk dat men op die wys maar tweemaal in 't water hoeft te vallen om doodarm te wezen. click to
    hear For it's clear that in that way [you'll only have to fall into the water twice ...] you'll be a beggar when you fall into the water twice - Multatuli

We moeten de hond uitlaten click to hear 2 3 We have to walk the dog We hoeven de hond niet uit te laten click to hear 2 3 4 We don't have to walk the dog

When 'hoeven' is put in the perfect tense by 'hebben' and combined with other verbs, it will be in the infinitive form; adding 'te' to the other initiative is optional. (I have a slight preference for using it.)

Ik heb niet hoeven wachten click to hear 2
Ik heb niet hoeven te wachten click to hear 2 I didn't have to wait

Ik heb niet hoeven te betalen click to hear 2 I didn't have to pay

(de) behoefte click to hear 'need (for) - want (of)'
de behoefte aan warmte click to hear the need for warmth de behoefte aan rust click to hear 2 3 the need for quiet, rest hulpbehoevend click to hear [in permanent need of help]
See also:  nodig hebben click to hear to need below

(het) gebrek click to hear 2 lack of, want (of) - shortage, deficiency; also: ailment, failing - plural: gebreken click to hear 2
gebrek aan click to hear lack of, want (of)
(het) spraakgebrek click to hear 2 speech impediment een vitamine-D gebrek click to hear a vitamin D deficiency bij gebrek aan beter click to hear lacking a better alternative, in the absence of something better gebrek aan fantasie click to hear 2 3 lack, shortage of imagination gebrek aan belangstelling click to hear 2 lack of interest Met de ouderdom komen de gebreken click to hear 2 '[With] In old age defects appear' gebrekkig Nederlands click to hear 2 3 ['lacking, incomplete' - faulty] poor Dutch

(het) tekort click to hear 2 'shortage'
(het) begrotingstekort click to hear 2 'shortage (of funding) on a budget' Er is soms een tekort aan tomaten - tomatentekort click to hear Sometimes there is a shortage of tomatoes - tomatoes shortage een tekort aan vitamine D click to hear 2 3 a vitamin D deficiency "Woorden schieten tekort ..." click to hear 'Words fall short, words can't express, there are no words ...' (de) tekortkoming click to hear 2 3 shortcoming, fault or failure to meet a standard

With a space in-between, 'te kort' simply means 'too short'
Ik heb de plank te kort afgezaagd click to hear 2 I've cut the board too short

(De) hoef click to hear plural: hoeven click to hear (hoef / hoeven click to hear 2 3) is 'hoof,' the horn at the end of horses' (and some other animals') feet.
(Het) hoefijzer click to hear 2 is 'horseshoe' and the 'farrier' who puts it on is (de) hoefsmid click to hear 2 3 - more

(De) plicht click to hear 2 - plural: plichten click to hear is 'a duty, an obligation, something required' like (de) dienstplicht click to hear 2 - the 'draft,' the obligation of all healthy young men (or all young adults) to serve in their country's military for some time (there is no more obligation in Holland) and (de) stemplicht click to hear the legal obligation to vote, failure to vote was punishable by a fine (abolished in Holland in the sixties) - compare: (het) stemrecht click to hear 2 ('the right to vote') ->>
(het) plichtsverzuim click to hear 2 'dereliction of duty,' failure to do what's expected of you, failure to fulfill your obligations
plichtsgetrouw click to hear ['faithful to obligations'] - dutiful
(De) verplichting click to hear 2 is a more formal word than 'plicht' - verplicht click to hear 2 'mandatory'
'Rechten en plichten' click to hear 2 3 rights and obligations (duties)

'To want to' meaning 'to wish, to desire' is usually translated as willen click to hear 2 - see the 'willen' page

Ik wil een nieuwe fiets click to hear 2 I want a new bicycle

nodig click to hear necessary, needed
onnodig click to hear 2 3 4 5 unnecessary, not necessary
zonodig click to hear 2 if necessary, when needed
nodig hebben click to hear 2 to need

Dat was niet nodig click to hear 2 That was not necessary, there was no need for that

Is 't echt nodig? click to hear 2 3 Is it really necessary?

Dat was nergens voor nodig click to hear 2 [That was necessary for nowhere] - That was not necessary at all, there was absolutely no need for that (why did you do that?)

Er moet nodig wat gebeuren click to hear 2 3 There is an urgent need for [something happening] action

Ik vind 't niet nodig click to hear 2 3 [I find it not necessary] - I don't think it's necessary, I think there's no need for it

de nodige voorbereidingen click to hear 2 3 the necessary preparations de nodige problemen click to hear 2 3 the unavoidable (and unpleasant) problems

een onnodig risico click to hear 2 3 an unnecessary risk

'To need' meaning feeling a necessity (to have, possess) is 'nodig hebben' click to hear 2

We hebben veel ijs nodig click to hear We need a lot of ice

Ik koop soms dingen die ik niet nodig heb click to hear 2 Sometimes I buy things I don't need

Ik heb meer tijd nodig click to hear 2 I need more time

Precies wat ik nodig had click to hear 2 3 Exactly what I needed

Ik heb hulp nodig click to hear 2 I need help

Als gehandicapte heb ik soms hulp nodig click to hear 2 3 As a person with a disability I sometimes need help

benodigdheden click to hear ['things needed'] - necessities, requirements

uitnodigen click to hear 2 to invite
(de) uitnodiging click to hear 2 invitation

te eten uitnodigen click to hear 2 to invite for [eating] dinner

See also '(de) behoefte' - '(the) need' above

Smartphone Verbs Home

More Good Dutch Smartphone Pages

email - Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2017.
All rights reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast, rewritten,
redistributed, or hotlinked to.
Gij zult niet stelen click to hear 'Thou shalt not steal'