Aim of this section is to learn how to use modal verbs.

What are modal verbs?

example:

Ich kann (I can)

You wonder "What can I?" The sentence is incomplete and doesn't make sense but as soon as you add the main verb you know what the speaker wants to say.

Ich kann sprechen. (I can speak.)

"Kann" is the modal verb and "sprechen" is the main verb in this sentence. Together they express what the speaker is able to do.

Which modal verbs do excist?

How do you conjugate the verbs in a sentence with modal verb and main verb?

example:

• Ich kann (I can speak.)
• Du kannst (You can speak.)
• Er/Sie/Es kann (He/She/It can speak.)
• Wir können (We can speak.)
• Ihr könnt (You can speak.)
• Sie können (They can speak.)

We talked already about how to conjugate the modal verbs in the section "Konjugation der Verben". They belong to group C and don't follow a regular pattern and thus have to learn by heart.

What's the word order for sentences with modal verbs?

examples:

• Cathy kann ein wenig Deutsch sprechen. (Cathy speaks a bit )
• Ich möchte dich am Samstag im Cafe treffen. (I'd like to meet you on Saturday in the )
• Wir müssen noch eine Menge lernen. (We still must learn a )

What happens when the sentence consists a modal verb and a separable main verb?

As you can remember separable verbs have to splitted up and the prefix goes at the end of the sentence:

• Ich hole ihn ab. (I pick him )
• Ich sehe oft fern. (I often watch )

• Ich bringe euch das Buch vorbei. (I bring along the book to )

examples:

• Ich kann ihn abholen. (I can pick him )
• Ich möchte oft fernsehen. (I'd like often to watch )
• Ich muss euch das Buch vorbeibringen. (I must bring along the book to )

Unterstand the meaning of the modal verbs

Finally, I'd like to explain every single modal verb and give some further hints. That's not really grammar but should help to avoid some common mistakes.

modal verb: dürfen

"Dürfen" is used to give or ask for permission:

examples:

• Darfich das Fenster öffnen? (May I open the window?)
• Sie darf das Land nicht (She is not allowed to leave the country.)

modal verb: können

"Können" expresses that somebody is able to do something or not:

examples:

• Sie können sehr gut (They can swim very well.)
• Ich kann morgen nicht ins Cafe (I can't come to cafe tomorrow.)

modal verb: mögen

"Mögen" expresses if somebody likes something or not:

examples:

• Ich mag (I like her.)
• Sie mag Raimond (She doesn't like Raimond.)

watch out

Don't mix "mögen" and "möchten"!

• mögen means "to like" somebody or something
• möchten means "would like" something

"Möchten" is also a kind of an modal verb and thus behaves like one.

That means you just conjugate "möchten" and the main verb remains in the infinitive form. The only difference is that "möchten" is a regular verb and is thus easy to conjugate.

examples:

• Ich möchte dich (I would like to see you again.)
• Wir möchten heute nicht (We don’t want to study German today.)

modal verb: müssen

"Müssen" is used to express that somebody must do something:

examples:

• Du musst Deutsch lernen! (You must learn German!)
• Mussich das machen? (Do I have to do this?)

The negation of "müssen", however, is very often source of confusion for many Germans. "Müssen" means "must" but "nicht müssen" DOESN'T mean "must not"!

If you say "Du musst nicht" you mean "you need not". With "nicht müssen" you express that something is not necessary.

If you say "Du darfst nicht" you mean "you must not". With "nicht dürfen" you express that somebody is not allowed to do something.

examples:

• Du musst nicht zum Cafe . (You need not come to the cafe - we can meet tomorrow

too.)

• Du darfst nicht zum Cafe ........ ! (You must not come to the cafe - there are dangerous

guys!)

modal verb: sollen

"Sollen" is used to give an advice or to express the own oppinion

examples:

• Du solltest mehr (You should learn more.)
• Wir sollten das nicht (We shouldn't do this.)

modal verb: wollen

"Wollen" is used to express that somebody really wants something.

examples:

• Ich will jetzt gehen! (I want to go now!)
• Sie will ihn nicht (She doesn't want him anymore.)

watch out

You can translate "wollen" with "want" but be careful with using it.

"Wollen" sounds in German demanding and often impolite. You'd better use "möchten" if you want something.

examples:

• Ich möchte etwas zu (I would like something to drink.)
• MöchtenSie sich setzen? (Do you want to sit down?)