môcť / musieť + Infinitive

Can and Must

Level 1

môcť = can, may. musieť = must, have to. The next verb stays in the infinitive: Môžem prísť. Musím pracovať.

How It Works

Present forms

  • môcť (can, may): ja môžem, ty môžeš, on/ona/ono môže, my môžeme, vy môžete, oni/ony môžu
  • musieť (must, have to): ja musím, ty musíš, on/ona/ono musí, my musíme, vy musíte, oni/ony musia

Môcť is irregular: the infinitive has c, but the present forms have ž. Musieť has the regular endings of Present Verbs in -ím, like robím ... robia.

Modal + infinitive

  • Môžem ti pomôcť. I can help you.
  • Musíme čakať. We have to wait.

Little words like sa, si, ti or mi take second place in the sentence. When the modal verb comes first, they follow it directly: Môžem sa opýtať? (May I ask?), Musím sa učiť. (I have to study.) When another word comes first, they follow that word instead: Dnes sa musím učiť. (Today I have to study.)

What môcť means

  • Permission: Môžem otvoriť okno? (May I open the window?)
  • Possibility, when circumstances allow it: Dnes nemôžem prísť. (I can't come today.)
  • Polite requests: Môžete mi pomôcť? (Can you help me?)

For a skill you have learned, such as swimming or a language, Slovak uses vedieť: Viem plávať. (I can swim.) See Knowing Facts and Knowing People.

Negative forms

Add ne- to the modal verb, written as one word: nemôžem (I can't), nemusím (I don't have to). Be careful: nemusíš means you don't have to, not you must not. To forbid something, Slovak uses nesmieš. See Don't Have To and Must Not.

Examples (6)

  1. Môžem sa opýtať?

    May I ask?

    Word by Word: Can-I myself ask?

    Sa takes second place in the sentence, which here is right after the modal verb.

  2. Musím ísť.

    I have to go.

    Word by Word: I-must to-go.

  3. Môžete mi pomôcť?

    Can you help me?

    Word by Word: Can-you me to-help?

    A polite request with the vy form.

  4. Dnes nemôžem prísť, musím pracovať.

    I can't come today, I have to work.

    Word by Word: Today I-can't to-come, I-must to-work.

  5. Deti musia ísť spať o ôsmej.

    The children have to go to bed at eight.

    Word by Word: Children must to-go to-sleep at eighth.

  6. Tu môžeš zaparkovať.

    You can park here.

    Word by Word: Here you-can to-park.

    Môcť here gives permission.

Common Mistakes

  • Conjugating the second verb too.

    Musím idem domov.
    Musím ísť domov.

    Only the modal verb changes for the person. The verb after it stays in the infinitive.

  • Using môcť for a learned skill.

    Môžem plávať. (meaning: I know how to swim)
    Viem plávať.

    Môžem plávať means you are allowed to swim or that nothing stops you right now. For a skill you have learned, use vedieť.

  • Using nemusieť to forbid something.

    Tu nemusíš fajčiť. (meaning: you must not smoke here)
    Tu nesmieš fajčiť.

    Nemusíš means you don't have to. To say that something is not allowed, use nesmieť.

How It Connects

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môcť / musieť + InfinitiveLevel 1Can and Must

Learn This First

Before Can and Must, learn Present Verbs in -em and -iem and Present Verbs in -ím. môcť has -em forms: môžem, môžeš. musieť has -ím forms: musím, musíš.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

musieť