have to
have to
Pronunciation
/ˈhæv.tu/ or /ˈhæf.tə/
First Syllable (/hæv/ or /hæf/):
/h/: Voiceless glottal fricative (as in "hat")
/æ/: Near-open front unrounded vowel (as in "cat")
/v/ or /f/: Voiced labiodental fricative (as in "van") or Voiceless labiodental fricative (as in "fan") - the /f/ sound often occurs in rapid speech due to assimilation with the following /t/.
Second Syllable (/tu/ or /tə/):
/t/: Voiceless alveolar plosive (as in "top")
/u/ or /ə/: Close back rounded vowel (as in "moon") or Schwa (as in "about") - the schwa often occurs in rapid, unstressed speech.
Word Form Variations
"Have to" is a semi-modal verb phrase, not a single word that changes form in the traditional sense of singular, plural, etc. Its variations are primarily in the conjugation of the verb "have":
Present Simple:
I/You/We/They have to
He/She/It has to
Past Simple:
I/You/He/She/It/We/They had to
Present Perfect:
I/You/We/They have had to
He/She/It has had to
Past Perfect:
I/You/He/She/It/We/They had had to
Future Simple:
I/You/He/She/It/We/They will have to
Present Participle/Gerund:
having to
Past Participle:
had to (used with auxiliary "have" as shown in perfect tenses)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb Phrase
To be obligated or compelled to do something; to be under a necessity or requirement.
Synonyms: must, should, ought to, need to, be required to, be obliged to, be compelled to
Antonyms: needn't, don't have to, are not obliged to, may, can (in the sense of permission)
To experience an unavoidable and often undesirable situation or outcome.
Synonyms: encounter, face, undergo, experience, be subjected to
Antonyms: avoid, escape, evade, bypass
To state a firm conclusion or deduction based on available evidence or circumstances.
Synonyms: must be, surely is, it follows that, evidently
Antonyms: might be, could be, may be, possibly is
Examples of Use
Books:
"Every writer of fiction, has to create a believable world, no matter how fantastical." (From a hypothetical literary criticism text)
"He knew he had to tell her the truth, even if it meant breaking her heart." (From a contemporary romance novel)
"The protagonist's journey revealed that sometimes, you just have to let go of what you thought was true to find what really matters." (From a philosophical fiction analysis)
Newspapers:
"Residents have to brace for increased traffic congestion as road closures are announced for the upcoming marathon." (Local newspaper headline, The Daily Herald, March 15, 2024)
"Economists say the central bank will have to consider further interest rate hikes if inflation continues to rise." (The Financial Times, April 10, 2024)
"The city council had to compromise on several key issues to pass the new zoning ordinance." (The Urban Chronicle, February 28, 2024)
Online Publications:
"To stay competitive in the digital age, businesses have to constantly innovate and adapt to new technologies." (Forbes.com, "The Future of Business," May 2, 2024)
"New research suggests that to improve mental well-being, individuals don't have to radically change their lives, but rather focus on small, consistent habits." (PsychologyToday.com, "Mindfulness Matters," June 1, 2024)
"For aspiring content creators, understanding algorithms is something they just have to get right from the start." (YouTube Creator Blog, "Maximizing Your Reach," January 15, 2024)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film Dialogue: "You don't have to be a hero, just be yourself." (From a hypothetical action-adventure movie script)
TV Show Dialogue: "We have to find out who did this before it's too late!" (From a crime procedural drama)
Song Lyrics: "Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find where you truly belong." (From an indie pop song)
Podcast Discussion: "As a podcaster, you have to be prepared for unexpected technical glitches." (From "The Podcasting Journey" podcast, Episode 73, July 2024)
Video Game Dialogue: "You have to defeat the final boss to unlock the next level." (On-screen instruction in a fantasy role-playing game)
Social Media Post (Tweet): "Just finished reading a book that made me realize we all have to confront our fears eventually. So powerful!" (@BookwormReads, June 20, 2024)
General Public Discourse:
Everyday Conversation: "I have to go to the grocery store after work." (Spoken by a friend)
Parent to Child: "You have to finish your homework before you can play video games." (Spoken by a parent)
Colleague to Colleague: "We have to reschedule the meeting; something urgent came up." (Spoken by a co-worker)
Political Speech: "We have to address the climate crisis with urgency and decisive action." (Quoted from a political rally)
Community Meeting: "For the safety of our children, we have to implement stricter traffic calming measures." (Spoken by a concerned citizen at a town hall meeting)
10 Famous Quotes Using Have to
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle. Good artists copy, great artists steal. And they have no shame in stealing because they have to steal." (Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Speech, 2005)
"You have to be the change you wish to see in the world." (Often attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, though the precise wording varies in original texts)
"I have to believe that when things are bad, I can change them." (Maya Angelou)
"We have to live with the past, but we don't have to be ruled by it." (E.M. Forster, A Room with a View)
"If you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain." (Dolly Parton)
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts. You have to accept whatever comes, and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best you have to give." (Winston Churchill, often paraphrased)
"Sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty." (Matilda Wormwood, from Roald Dahl's Matilda)
"You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write." (Saul Bellow)
"To be a champ, you have to believe in yourself when nobody else will." (Sugar Ray Robinson)
"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it. You have to have faith." (J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan)
Etymology
The phrase "have to" as a way of saying "must" or "be obligated to" has a long history in the English language, reaching back to Old English.
Think of it like this: The original meaning of "have" was simply "to own" or "to possess." So, when someone said something like "I have a duty to do," it literally meant "I possess a duty" or "I have a responsibility."
Over time, this idea of "possessing" a duty or a thing to be done naturally evolved into the modern sense of being obligated to do it. It's like having something hanging over you that you need to take care of.
The "to" part of "have to" is the usual "to" that links a verb to its infinitive form (the basic form of a verb like "to run," "to eat," etc.). So, "I have [a duty] to go" became "I have to go."
This usage of "have to" to mean "must" became well-established by the 1570s, though its roots go even deeper into Old English with similar constructions. It's a natural shift where the idea of "possessing a task" transforms into "being required to perform that task." Interestingly, other Germanic languages like German and Dutch have similar constructions (e.g., German "haben zu"), suggesting this way of expressing obligation has very old, shared roots.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Have to
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "have to," along with some related expressions:
Phrases and Idioms with "Have to":
Have to admit: To concede or acknowledge something, often reluctantly.
Example: "I have to admit, that was a brilliant move."
Have to hand it to someone: To give credit or praise to someone for an accomplishment.
Example: "You have to hand it to her, she pulled off that presentation perfectly."
Have to do with: To be related or connected to something.
Example: "His sudden departure had to do with the new management."
Have to go: To need to leave.
Example: "I'm sorry, but I have to go now."
Have to say: To state an opinion or observation.
Example: "I have to say, I'm quite impressed."
Have to wonder: To feel a sense of doubt or curiosity.
Example: "Given the circumstances, you have to wonder what their real intentions are."
Have to bite the bullet: (Idiom) To endure a difficult or unpleasant situation.
Example: "We just have to bite the bullet and accept the reduced budget."
Have to face the music: (Idiom) To confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.
Example: "After all that trouble, he finally had to face the music."
Have to take a back seat: (Idiom) To accept a less important or prominent role.
Example: "Due to the new regulations, personal preferences have to take a back seat."
Have to pull one's weight: (Idiom) To do one's fair share of work.
Example: "Everyone on the team has to pull their weight for us to succeed."
Lesser-Known/Original Phrases or Synonymous Idioms for Similar Effect:
Be bound to: (Similar to "have to") To be certain or very likely to do or be something.
Example: "Given his talent, he's bound to succeed."
Be obliged to: (Formal synonym for "have to") To be under a moral or legal duty to do something.
Example: "As a doctor, she's obliged to help those in need."
It behooves one to: (Formal, similar to "one ought to") It is proper or advantageous for one to do something.
Example: "It behooves us to consider all options carefully."
Necessity dictates: (Formal, similar to "have to") What must be done due to circumstances.
Example: "Necessity dictates* we conserve water during the drought."
Under compulsion to: To be forced or driven to do something.
Example: "He acted under compulsion to protect his family."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of have to from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
