moeten

See also: möten

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch moeten, from Old Dutch muotan, from Proto-Germanic *mōtaną. Cognate with English mote (“may, might”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmutə(n)/
  • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -utən

Verb

moeten

  1. (intransitive) to be necessary, to be required
  2. (auxiliary) to have to, must
    Hij moet gaan. ― He has to / He must go.
    Moest je nog werken vanavond? ― Did you have to work tonight?
  3. (auxiliary) should, be meant to
    Het moet hier zijn, maar het was gestolen. ― It is meant to be here, but it was stolen. / It should be here, but it was stolen.
    Dat moet je echt niet doen. ― You really should not do that.
  4. (intransitive, informal) to need to go to the toilet
    Ik moet heel nodig! ― I really need to go!

Usage notes

The past tense moest can be used in the present. In Dutch, one can ask "Moest je nog werken vanavond?" which can mean both "did you have to work tonight?" and "do you have to work tonight?". This is similar to gaan.

Inflection

Inflection of moeten (preterite-present)
infinitive moeten
past singular moest
past participle gemoeten
infinitive moeten
gerund moeten n
verbal noun —
present tense past tense
1st person singular moetmoest
2nd person sing. (jij) moetmoest
2nd person sing. (u) moetmoest
2nd person sing. (gij) moetmoest
3rd person singular moetmoest
plural moetenmoesten
subjunctive sing.1 moetemoeste
subjunctive plur.1 moetenmoesten
imperative sing. moet
imperative plur.1 moet
participles moetendgemoeten
1) Archaic.

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • (have to, usually in negative sentences): hoeven

Middle Dutch

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch muotan, from Proto-Germanic *mōtaną.

Verb

moeten

  1. (auxiliary) to have to, must, to be obliged to
  2. (auxiliary) to be allowed to, to have permission to
  3. (auxiliary) will, shall
Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch *muoten, from Proto-Germanic *mōtijaną.

Verb

moeten

  1. to meet, to come upon
  2. to meet with hostility
Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

Further reading

  • “moeten”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • “moeten (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 1929
  • “moeten (II)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 1929
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