Modals - have to / has to

In 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:

• necessary
• a rule
• not your personal choice

Think: “This is required.”

Use have to / has to when something is necessary because of a rule, a situation, or another outside reason. It is usually not the speaker's personal choice.

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 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.)

5. Easy Way to Remember

Have to / has to often means that something is necessary or required, especially because of rules, situations, or responsibilities.