E20

What are Modal Verbs?

Modal verbs express a certain "mood" in a sentence - for example, you can do something, should do something, or must do something.

In English and German

Modal verbs are generally used together with a main verb in the infinitive: "If you are free, you can come with us."

The Six Modal Verbs in German

There are many similarities between modals in English and German. These are the six modals:

• dürfen - may / to be allowed to
• können - can / to be able to
• müssen - must / to have to
• sollen - to be supposed to, should, ought to
• wollen - to want
• mögen / möchten - to like / would like

Negative Usage

The modal dürfen is used to express permission. When used in a question, it adds politeness (corresponds to English "may").

Negative Usage

With nicht, dürfen conveys prohibition ("must not"):

Sie dürfen hier nicht rauchen. = You must not smoke here.

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The modal können means "can" or "to be able to":

Important: Negative müssen

The closest equivalent of müssen is "must" or "to have to":

Important: Negative müssen

Du musst nicht = You don't have to (NOT "you must not")

To say "you must not", use dürfen + nicht: Du darfst nicht rauchen.

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The modal sollen means "to be supposed to" or "should":

Not for Future Tense!

The modal wollen expresses an intention or desire - "to want to":

Not for Future Tense!

Wollen cannot be used like English "will" to form the future tense. Use werden instead: Sie wird nach Deutschland fahren. = She will go to Germany.

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The modal mögen means "to like" and is often used with people, food, places, and activities:

Can Stand Alone

Möchten is the subjunctive form of mögen and means "would like to". It's the most commonly used form!

Can Stand Alone

Möchten is often used without a second verb: Ich möchte ein Glas Bier, bitte. = I would like a glass of beer, please.

Modal Verbs with Another Verb

As in English, modals are normally used together with another verb. But there's a key difference in word order!

The German "Satzklammer" (Sentence Bracket)

In German, the modal verb goes to position 2 (conjugated), while the main verb goes to the END of the sentence (infinitive):

I would like to go to the cinema today.

Modal and Separable Verbs

When using a modal verb with a separable verb, the separable verb stays together and goes to the end of the sentence:

Summary: All Modal Verbs

Remember these patterns:

• The ich and er/sie/es forms are the same for all modals and drop their endings (no -e or -t)
• All modals except sollen have a vowel change in the ich, du, and er/sie/es forms

Irregular forms are shown in italics.

← From Previous

← From Previous

Building on: Comparison of Adjectives (e19) - You learned how to compare things using comparative and superlative forms. Now apply those comparisons with modal verbs: "Sie sollen mehr Sport treiben" (You should do MORE sport).

→ Coming Next

Prepare for: Present Perfect Tense (e21) - Learn how to form and use the Perfekt tense with haben and sein. Modal verbs also have past tense forms - see Unit 22 for modal verbs in the past tense!