sollen
should / to be supposed to
sollen means should / to be supposed to.
Use sollen for advice, instructions, or what someone else says you should do.
We use Konjunktiv II to give softer advice or to discuss hypothetical situations with patients and colleagues.
| Person | Context | sollen |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | sollte |
| du | you (one person, informal) | solltest |
| er/sie/es | he / she / it | sollte |
| wir | we | sollten |
| ihr | you (several people, informal) | solltet |
| sie/Sie | they / you (formal, one or more people) | sollten |
German has three ways to say you:
- du – informal, one person
- ihr – informal, several people
- Sie – formal, one or more people (always capitalised when it means “you”)
The word sie (lowercase) can also mean she or they. Context and the verb form tell them apart:
- sie ist = she is
- sie sind = they are
- Sie sind = you are (formal)
Clinical register: In medical practice, use Sie with patients. Du/ihr are for colleagues, friends, or family.
Medical examples with the three you forms:
- Du solltest viel Wasser trinken
You (informal, one person) should drink a lot of water - Ihr solltet viel Wasser trinken
You (informal, several people) should drink a lot of water - Sie sollten viel Wasser trinken
You (formal) should drink a lot of water
- viel Wasser trinken – drink a lot of water
- die Tablette nehmen – take the tablet
- sich ausruhen – rest
- gesund essen – eat healthily
- Affirmative: Ich sollte viel Wasser trinken.
I should drink a lot of water - Negative: Du solltest die Tablette nicht nehmen.
You (informal, one person) should not take the tablet - Affirmative: Der Patient sollte sich ausruhen.
The patient should rest - Affirmative: Sie sollten gesund essen.
You (formal) should eat healthily - Question: Solltest du viel Wasser trinken?
Should you (informal, one person) drink a lot of water? - Negative: Wir sollten die Tablette nicht nehmen.
We should not take the tablet
- Conjugation — type the correct form for each person.
- Multiple choice — pick the verb that fits the sentence.
- Fill in the blank — type the missing modal form.
- Reorder — put the words in correct German order (modal in position 2, infinitive at the end).
- Dialogue — fill in the missing verb at the start of a doctor-patient question.
- Error correction — find and fix the wrong verb form.
- Translate — write the German sentence from English.
- Match — pair persons with forms or verbs with meanings.
Translate to German: You (formal) should drink a lot of water
Show answer
Sie sollten viel Wasser trinken.
Translate to German: You (informal, one person) should not take the tablet
Show answer
Du solltest die Tablette nicht nehmen.
Ask the question in German: Should you (informal, one person) rest?
Show answer
Solltest du dich ausruhen?
Put the words in the correct order: Patient / sollte / gesund / essen / Der
Show answer
Der Patient sollte gesund essen
- Meaning: sollen means should / to be supposed to.
- Key forms: Konjunktiv II forms of sollen: ich sollte, du solltest, er/sie/es sollte, wir sollten, ihr solltet, sie/Sie sollten.
- Word order: Subject + Konjunktiv II form of the modal + main verb at the end.
- Register: Use Sie with patients; du/ihr with peers, friends or family.
Practice this verb with exercises, or take a mixed test with all verbs.