Simple past 'musste' (had to, from müssen)

musste is the simple past (Präteritum) of the modal verb müssen ("must / to have to"). Like other modals, it is normally used in the Präteritum rather than the perfect, even in speech.

The umlaut disappears: müssen → musste. Regular endings:

• ich/er/sie/es musste, du musstest, wir/sie mussten, ihr musstet

The main verb is an infinitive at the end of the clause.

Examples:

• Ich musste gestern viel arbeiten. - I had to work a lot yesterday.
• Wir mussten lange warten. - We had to wait a long time.
• Er musste zum Arzt gehen. - He had to go to the doctor.

Common mistakes: Drop the umlaut: musste, not müsste (which is the polite Konjunktiv II, "would have to"). Note the meaning of the negative: Ich musste nicht arbeiten means "I didn't have to work" (no obligation), not "I was not allowed to" - that would be durfte nicht.

'musste' is the simple past (Präteritum) of 'müssen' - had to.

Präteritum of 'müssen' (no umlaut); the infinitive stays at the end.

'musste' ist das Präteritum von 'müssen'.