das Muss
must-have
Something that is absolutely necessary or especially important and therefore must not be missing.
EXAMPLE
Ein gutes Wörterbuch ist für Sprachlernende ein Muss.
A good dictionary is a must-have for language learners.
das Muss
must
das Muss
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Meanings
das Muss
must
A necessity or obligation to do or accept something.
EXAMPLE
Zwischen Wunsch und Muss liegt ein großer Unterschied.
There is a big difference between what you want to do and what you must do.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Muss, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| genitive | des Muss |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Muss | – |
| accusative | das Muss | – |
| dative | dem Muss | – |
| genitive | des Muss | – |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Nominalized form
'Muss' comes from the verb 'müssen' (must / to have to) and is used as a noun. For this reason, it frequently appears with an article or adjective in fixed sentence patterns and is capitalized.
EXAMPLE
Sport ist für ihn kein lästiges Muss, sondern ein Vergnügen.
For him, exercise is not an annoying must but a pleasure.
Typical collocations
For something especially important, expressions such as 'ein absolutes Muss' (an absolute must), 'ein echtes Muss' (a real must), or 'ein Muss für …' (a must for …) are common. The noun often follows 'sein' (to be).
EXAMPLE
Bequeme Schuhe sind für diese lange Stadtbesichtigung ein absolutes Muss.
Comfortable shoes are an absolute must for this long city tour.
No obligation
When 'Muss' refers to an obligation, the fixed expression 'kein Muss' (not a must / not mandatory) is often used. 'Es ist kein Muss, … zu …' means that an action is not compulsory.
EXAMPLE
Es ist kein Muss, bei der Veranstaltung eine Krawatte zu tragen.
It is not mandatory to wear a tie at the event.
In real life
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