Have to vs. must?

[Mohamad8]

Hi my good teachers,
In a grammar book, I've read that 'Must' is often used when the obligation comes from the speaker while 'Have to' is often used for rules and regulations. So, is not it better to use 'must' instead of 'have to' in the
sentence 'I have to go now because I am already late for my class.' because the speaker think this?
Thank you in advance.

[Alan]

Hi Mohamad8,

What you have described is broadly true in distinguishing between 'have to' and 'must'

But in your example you seem to say the opposite because 'I have to go' surely is something required by the teacher not the speaker.

Generally 'must' has a stronger sense of necessity.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Tandang]

What's the difference between have to and must anyway?

[Betty76]

Hi! I'm astonished... I was 100% sure that this sentence "I ......... go now because I am already late for my class" needed "must". I learnt this sentence "I must go now because I'm late" when I was in school...

[Xiaphy]

I think "must" is positive emotion ,I must go now ,means myself want to do something ,I would like to do something and it's the time to do something .
and "have to "is negative emotion ,I don't want to go ,I wouldn't like to go ,but I have no idea ,My parents ,my teacher let me do that ,not myself willing .
and ,if you are a good student ,you love school ,I think must is also a correct answer .

I do not know this is correct or not .But I think this .

[Sweetsparro]

please tell me the difference between using only 'have' and "Have to" how we can differnciate them while using in a sentence

[Sh213]

finally i dont find out what difference is between must and have to:((((

[Alan]

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Hi,

Both 'have to' and 'must' refer to what is necessary. When I say 'I have to do something', this means that someone else is telling me what to do or circumstances force me to do it.. When I say 'I must do soemthing', this suggests that I am telling myself what to do.

I have to get up early every day in order to get the train to work.

I must try to stop smoking because it's bad for my health.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Passaparola]

Yes, I have to admit that again this seems to be a difficult one for me. The outcome is that sometimes we tend to translate the sentences in our own language and, if it sounds good, the impression is that we got it right. Mistaken!!! So, one of my basic rules in learning a new language is that if the phrase sounds good to me, something has to be wrong. Thanks a lot...

[Awat]

Hi all,

I did the test and I got 10 / 10

best regards

[Bab_2c]

Hi Alan

My name is Babak. I was looking at your comment in (Sun Jul 20, 2008) and especially this part's drawn my attention.

{{The similarity is that both refer to some kind of necessity or compulsion but the difference is that 'must' is an external obligation and 'have to' is an internal one. If you look at most rules and regulations for clubs, societies or any kind of organisation, you'll usually find there is a list of things that you are required to do: You must do this/that/....In other words the organization is telling you what to do - it is an external obligation. 'Have to' on the other hand is what you personally think is necessary for you to do. That's why it is appropriate to say: I have to go now because I am already late for my class. In a way you are telling yourself that it's time to go - it's an internal obligation.}}

Then 3 years later, you sent a new comment in which is a little bit different.

{{ Both 'have to' and 'must' refer to what is necessary. When I say 'I have to do something', this means that someone else is telling me what to do or circumstances force me to do it.. When I say 'I must do something', this suggests that I am telling myself what to do.
I have to get up early every day in order to get the train to work.
I must try to stop smoking because it's bad for my health. }}

The red highlighted sentence is not a rule neither an obligation. Totally it's not an external obligation. However, you used MUST rather than HAVE TO.
Can you explain that, whether there are more differences between MUST AND HAVE TO or other thing

Thank you a lot.

[Cherrypzta]

so??