To be obliged or required to do something; to express necessity.
Something is necessary for you to do — you have no choice.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To be required or obliged to do something, especially by an external rule, law, or situation.
"You have to show your passport at the border — no exceptions."
We have to be the change we wish to see in the world.
— Attributed to Mahatma Gandhi (widely circulated paraphrase)
To express a logical certainty or strong deduction.
"She's been working for eighteen hours straight — she has to be exhausted by now."
(informal) Used to express that something is highly recommended or should not be missed.
"You have to try the pasta here — it's honestly the best I've ever tasted."
One of the most fundamental modal expressions in English, functioning like a modal verb. 'Have to' expresses external obligation (rules, laws, other people's requirements). In the negative, 'don't have to' means it is NOT necessary (unlike 'must not', which means it is forbidden). Also used for logical deduction (e.g., 'That has to be wrong').
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "have to" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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