verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈhæv.tuː/strong form
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈhæf.tu/strong form
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈhæf.tə/weak form, Received Pronunciation, General American, Canada, Australian
1
verb
Meaning 1
Must; need to; to be urged to; to be required to; indicates obligation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
You have to wear a seat belt.
I have to go to the bathroom.
I just have to have that shirt.
Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.
She said you had not to talk to me, but you don't have to obey her anymore.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: need to, have got to, got to, gotta
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
Must; expresses a logical conclusion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
that has to be the postman; it has to be an electrical fault
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: be bound to, have got to, got to, gotta, must
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Dates back at least to the Old English habban + tō construction, with the same meaning as sense 1 below.
Across languages
Translations
141 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
duhet
— obligation
Albanian:
du't (gheg)
— obligation
Albanian:
do bër
— obligation
Arabic:
يَضْطَر
(yaḍṭar)
— obligation
Arabic:
يضطر
(yeṭar)
— obligation
Armenian:
պետք
(petkʻ)
— obligation
Basque:
behar izan
— obligation
Belarusian:
му́сіць
(músicʹ)
— obligation
Belarusian:
паві́нен
(pavínjen)
— obligation
Belarusian:
паві́нна
(pavínna)
— obligation
Belarusian:
паві́нны
(pavínny)
— obligation
Bulgarian:
трябва да
(trjabva da)
— obligation
Burmese:
ရ
(ra.)
— obligation
Catalan:
haver de
— obligation
Chinese Cantonese:
要
(yiu3)
— obligation
Chinese Mandarin:
應該 /应该
(yīnggāi)
— obligation
Chinese Mandarin:
必須 /必须
(bìxū)
— obligation
Chinese Mandarin:
要
(yào)
— obligation
Chinese Mandarin:
不得不
(bùdébù)
— obligation
Chinese Mandarin:
非......不可
(fēi ... bùkě)
— obligation
Maore Comorian:
ulazimu
— obligation
Czech:
mít
— obligation
Danish:
skulle
— obligation
Dutch:
moeten
— obligation
Esperanto:
devi
— obligation
Estonian:
pidama
— obligation
Finnish:
täytyä
— obligation
Finnish:
olla pakko
— obligation
Finnish:
pitää
— obligation
French:
devoir
— obligation
French:
falloir
— obligation
French:
avoir à
— obligation
Friulian:
dovê
— obligation
Galician:
ter de
— obligation
Georgian:
უნდა
(unda)
— obligation
German:
müssen
— obligation
German:
(zu tun) haben
— obligation
Gothic:
𐍃𐌺𐌿𐌻𐌰𐌽
(skulan)
— obligation
Gothic:
𐌸𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌽
(þaurban)
— obligation
Ancient Greek:
χρή
(khrḗ)
— obligation
Ancient Greek:
δεῖ
(deî)
— obligation
Hebrew:
צריך
(tsarích)
— obligation
Hungarian:
kell
— obligation
Hungarian:
muszáj
— obligation
Hungarian:
kénytelen
— obligation
Icelandic:
þurfa að
— obligation
Ido:
mustar
— obligation
Indonesian:
harus
— obligation
Ingrian:
pittää
— obligation
Ingrian:
hoolia
— obligation
Interlingua:
deber
— obligation
Irish:
bhí ar
— obligation
Irish:
caithfidh
— obligation
Irish:
is éigean
— obligation
Italian:
dovere
— obligation
Japanese:
...ないと駄目だ
(...-nai to dame da)
— obligation
