German Phrase
Wir müssen früh da sein.
Meaning
The sentence states an obligation for the speaker and others to be at a certain place early. It is often used when talking about appointments, meetings, concerts, flights, or any situation where arriving ahead of time is important.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to tell a friend, colleague, or travel companion that you all need to get to a location early – for example, before a concert starts, before a meeting begins, or to catch an early train.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wirmüssenfrühdasein
Wir (personal pronoun)
Subject pronoun for 'we', always in nominative case.
müssen (modal verb)
Present‑tense form of the modal verb 'müssen' (must). It requires an infinitive verb at the end of the clause.
früh (adverb of time)
Indicates an early point in time; placed before the place adverb.
da (adverb of place)
Means 'there' and points to a location already known in the conversation.
sein (infinitive)
The infinitive of 'to be' that follows the modal verb; the main verb of the sentence.
🗨In Conversation
Um wie viel Uhr beginnt das Konzert?
What time does the concert start?
Wir müssen früh da sein.
We have to be there early.
✕Common Mistakes
Wir früh müssen da sein.
The modal verb must stay directly after the subject; the adverb comes after the modal.
Wir müssen da früh sein.
Place adverb should stay before the infinitive, not between modal and infinitive.
Wir müssen sein früh da.
The infinitive 'sein' must stay at the very end of the clause after the modal verb.
↔Alternatives
Wir sollten früh dort sein.
We should be there early.
Wir müssen früh ankommen.
We have to arrive early.
Wir müssen früh dort sein.
We have to be there early.
Cultural Tip
Germans value punctuality; being a few minutes early is seen as respectful, while arriving late can be considered rude. When you want to stress that you’ll be on time rather than early, use 'pünktlich' (e.g., 'Wir müssen pünktlich da sein'). 'Da' is informal and works when the location is already clear; 'dort' is a bit more formal or when you need to point out a specific place.