Modals - have to / has to
Grammar learning path:Everyday modal meaningsIn this lesson, you will learn how to use have to and has to to talk about obligation.
1. What Does Have to / Has to Mean?
Use have to / has to when something is required because of a rule, a situation, or another outside reason. It is usually not the speaker’s personal choice. Think: “This is necessary.”
2. Have to / Has to: Structure
Positive sentences
Subject + have / has to + base verb
Examples:
- “I have to work today.”
- “She has to wear a uniform.”
- “They have to leave early.”
Negative sentences
Use do not (don’t) / does not (doesn’t).
Subject + do / does + not (don’t / doesn’t) + have to + base verb
Examples:
- “I don’t have to work tomorrow.”
- “She doesn’t have to wear a uniform.”
Meaning:
→ It is not necessary. You can do it, but you do not need to do it.
Questions
Do / Does + subject + have to + base verb?
Examples:
- “Do you have to wake up early?”
- “Does he have to pay now?”
Short answers:
- Yes → “Yes, I do.” / “Yes, he does.”
- No → “No, I don’t.” / “No, he doesn’t.”
Now that you know the form, let's look at common situations where we use have to / has to.
3. Common Uses of Have to / Has to
Rules and laws
Examples:
- “You have to wear a seatbelt.”
- “Students have to arrive on time.”
Responsibilities
Examples:
- “I have to finish my homework.”
- “She has to take care of her children.”
4. “Have Got to” in Spoken English
In informal English, especially British English, have got to / has got to is a common alternative for a present obligation. It often appears in a contraction:
- “I’ve got to go now.” (= I have to go now.)
- “She’s got to finish this today.” (= She has to finish this today.)
For other times, use have to in the correct tense: “I had to leave early yesterday.” / “I’ll have to leave early tomorrow.”
In natural speech, have to often sounds like “haf-tuh” and has to like “hass-tuh” (/hæstə/): “I have to go” / “She has to work.” This is pronunciation only; always write have to and has to.
5. Had to: past obligation
Use had to for past obligation. Use didn’t have to when something was not necessary in the past.
- “I had to work late yesterday.”
- “I didn’t have to pay.”
- “Did you have to wait?”
6. Have to vs Don’t Have to
- Have to → necessary
- Don’t have to → not necessary
Examples:
- “You have to pay.” (It is required.)
- “You don’t have to pay.” (It is optional.)
7. A Quick Contrast with “Must”
Have to usually points to an outside rule or situation. Must can express the speaker’s own strong feeling and is more common in written notices than in speech.
Don’t have to means “it is not necessary,” but mustn’t means “do not do it.”
- “You don’t have to come.” = Coming is optional.
- “You mustn’t come in.” = Do not enter.
8. Common mistakes
- ❌ "He have to go." → ✅ "He has to go."
- ❌ "She has to goes." → ✅ "She has to go."
- ❌ "Do he has to pay?" → ✅ "Does he have to pay?"
- ❌ "You haven’t to come." → ✅ "You don’t have to come."
Quick check
Try one question now
Check your answer when you are ready.
9. Quick summary
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| have to / has to | necessary now | "She has to work." |
| don’t / doesn’t have to | not necessary | "You don’t have to pay." |
| had to | necessary in the past | "I had to wait." |
| mustn’t | prohibited | "You mustn’t enter." |
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Everyday modal meanings
A2Modals (Have to)
2 wordsLast updated August 23, 2026