polski · A2 · verb · 4 minutes
Musieć: present tense
Express necessity with musz-/musi- and a following infinitive.
Understand the choice
Musieć marks practical or imposed necessity. The modal carries person; the action stays infinitive, whose aspect can show routine versus one completion.
Core rule: Musieć has muszę, musisz, musi, musimy, musicie, muszą and takes an infinitive.
Notice it in context
Muszę wyjść teraz, ale wy musicie zostać tutaj.
I must leave now, but you have to stay here.
Muszę and musicie match different subjects; wyjść/zostać are perfective bounded actions.
Musimy zarezerwować pokój do piątku.
We must book a room by Friday.
Musimy carries my; zarezerwować is one completed requirement.
Czy musisz codziennie pracować?
Do you have to work every day?
Musisz agrees with ty; imperfective pracować matches routine.
What to remember
- Nie musieć means not have to; nie wolno means must not.
- Musiałem/musiałam is gendered past I had to.
Common trap: Do not confuse nie musisz with prohibition; it removes necessity.