Ich muss den Test nachholen.

I have to make up the test.

Breakdown of Ich muss den Test nachholen.

• ich: I
• müssen: must
• der Test: the test
• nachholen: to make up

Questions & Answers about Ich muss den Test nachholen.

What exactly does nachholen mean? How is it different from wiederholen and nachschreiben?

• nachholen: to do something later that you missed the first time (make up/catch up). General and broad.
• wiederholen: to repeat. With exams, it often means to retake because you failed or want a better grade.
• nachschreiben: to sit a written test later because you were absent. Very common in school/university contexts for missed written exams.

So Ich muss den Test nachholen = I missed it and need to do it later. If you failed and must retake, Ich muss die Prüfung wiederholen is more natural. If it’s specifically a written test you missed, Ich muss den Test nachschreiben is spot-on.

Why is it den Test and not der Test?

Because den is the masculine accusative singular article. Test is masculine (der Test in the nominative), and it’s the direct object of nachholen, so it becomes den Test in the accusative.

Why is nachholen at the end of the sentence?

With modal verbs like müssen, the main verb stays in the infinitive at the end. The pattern is: subject + conjugated modal + objects/adverbs + infinitive. Hence: Ich muss den Test nachholen.

How would this look without a modal verb?

Without a modal, the separable verb nachholen splits in a main clause:

• Ich hole den Test nach. Here, hole is conjugated and the separable prefix nach goes to the end.

How do I say this in the past?

• Simple past (Präteritum, common with modals): Ich musste den Test nachholen.
• Present perfect with a modal (spoken German): Ich habe den Test nachholen müssen. (double infinitive at the end)
• Present perfect without a modal: Ich habe den Test nachgeholt.

How does it change in a subordinate clause (with weil or dass)?

Both verbs go to the end, with the full infinitive last:

• …, weil ich den Test nachholen muss.
• …, dass ich den Test nachholen muss.

How do I negate it correctly?

• Ich muss den Test nicht nachholen. = I don’t have to make up the test (no obligation). Avoid Ich muss nicht den Test nachholen unless you’re contrasting specifically the test vs something else. If you mean not allowed, use dürfen: Ich darf den Test nicht nachholen.

How do I ask for permission instead of stating a necessity?

Use dürfen:

• Darf ich den Test nachholen? = Am I allowed to make up the test?

Is muss ever written with ß?

No under current spelling rules. It’s muss (with ss), not muß. The ß form is pre-reform and no longer standard.

How do I pronounce the sentence?

• Ich: [ɪç] (soft German ch)
• muss: [mʊs] (short u, like “book”)
• den: [deːn]
• Test: [tɛst]
• nachholen: stress on the prefix: NÁCHholen → [ˈnaːxhoːlən] Natural flow: [ɪç mʊs deːn tɛst ˈnaːxhoːlən]

Can I replace den Test with a pronoun? Where does it go?

Yes. den Test → ihn (accusative masculine).

• Ich muss ihn nachholen. Pronouns usually come earlier: Ich muss ihn morgen nachholen.

Can I use die Prüfung instead of der Test? Does grammar change?

Yes. Prüfung is feminine:

• Nominative: die Prüfung
• Accusative: die Prüfung Your sentence: Ich muss die Prüfung nachholen. (article stays die)

Where do I put time words like “tomorrow” or “later”?

Common options:

• Morgen muss ich den Test nachholen. (time first)
• Ich muss morgen den Test nachholen.
• Ich muss den Test morgen nachholen. All are fine. Many learners prefer time near the start for clarity.

What’s the full conjugation of müssen?

• ich muss
• du musst
• er/sie/es muss
• wir müssen
• ihr müsst
• sie/Sie müssen

Can I use aufholen or einholen here?

No, not for a missed test.

• aufholen: catch up (on backlog, in a race): den Rückstand aufholen
• einholen: catch up with someone / obtain (offers, info): jemanden einholen, Angebote einholen For a missed assessment, use nachholen (general) or nachschreiben (written test you missed).

Does Ich muss den Test wiederholen mean the same?

Often it implies you took it and must take it again (retake), typically after failing. nachholen focuses on doing it for the first time at a later date because you missed it. Context decides, but they’re not perfect synonyms.

How do I express future intention or plan?

German usually uses the present with a time word:

• Ich muss den Test morgen nachholen. If you want explicit future:
• Ich werde den Test nachholen. (neutral future)
• Obligation in the future: Ich werde den Test nachholen müssen. (rarer, formal/explicit)

What about Ich habe den Test nachzuholen?

That’s a formal/administrative way to state an obligation (often written notices, rules). In everyday speech, Ich muss den Test nachholen is more natural.

Do I need an article before Test? Can I say einen Test?

Yes, use an article. If it’s a specific test both you and the listener know about: den Test. If it’s unspecified: Ich muss einen Test nachholen.

What’s the past participle of nachholen?

nachgeholt. Example without a modal: Ich habe den Test nachgeholt. With a modal, you use the double infinitive instead: Ich habe den Test nachholen müssen.