# etymology -- have = must?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-have-must/293094>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 5, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-have-must/293094 "2005-03-05T17:02:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-have-must/293094/1 "2005-03-05T17:02:44Z")

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Why is that in the English language the word ‘have’ can be used in the same sense as ‘must’?

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-have-must/293094/2 "2005-03-05T17:07:14Z")

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Not “have” but “have _to_” is synonymous. It carries the meaning, more or less, of “have [the obligation] to.”

Interestingly, the Spanish for “to have,” _tener_, works in much the same way, when followed by _que_.

I must wash = I have to wash = _Necesito que bañar = Tengo que bañar_