得 (děi) (must / have to)

"I've gotta go"

• (degree marker)得de (děi) = "must / have to" — a spoken, everyday obligation.
• I / me我wǒ(degree marker)得deto walk走zǒu(completed / change)了le = "I have to go now."
• Careful: here (degree marker)得de is read děi, not de.

Subj + (degree marker)得de + Verb

• (degree marker)得de (děi) sits before the verb to mean "must".

I我wǒmust得děigo走zǒu了le。

• I / me我wǒ(degree marker)得deto walk走zǒu(completed / change)了le = "I've got to go."

Three readings of (degree marker)得de

• (degree marker)得de = děi (must) · de (after a verb, degree) · dé (to obtain).

Recap

Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Auxiliary verbs.