> Modal verbs in German express ability, permission, necessity, desire, or obligation. They are always used with an infinitive verb.
German has six main modal verbs: dürfen, können, mögen, müssen, sollen, and wollen. These verbs modify the meaning of another verb, which appears in the infinitive at the end of the sentence. Modal verbs are irregular and appear in the simple form (without 'zu') for the second verb.
Modal Verb Overview
| Modal Verb | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| dürfen | may, be allowed to | expressing permission |
| können | can, be able to | expressing ability or possibility |
| mögen | like | expressing liking or preference |
| müssen | must, have to | expressing necessity or obligation |
| sollen | should, ought to | expressing advice or moral obligation |
| wollen | want | expressing desire or intention |
Each modal verb changes its stem to form the present tense and appears in the second position, followed by the main verb at the end.
Conjugations
Here are the present tense conjugations for each modal verb, using dürfen, können, mögen, müssen, sollen, and wollen as examples:
| German Pronoun | dürfen (may) | können (can) | mögen (like) | müssen (must) | sollen (should) | wollen (want) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | darf | kann | mag | muss | soll | will |
| du | darfst | kannst | magst | musst | sollst | willst |
| er/sie/es | darf | kann | mag | muss | soll | will |
| wir | dürfen | können | mögen | müssen | sollen | wollen |
| ihr | dürft | könnt | mögt | müsst | sollt | wollt |
| sie/Sie | dürfen | können | mögen | müssen | sollen | wollen |
Example:
- Ich kann schwimmen. (I can swim.)
- Du musst lernen. (You must study.)
Usage with Infinitive
In German sentences, the conjugated modal verb comes second, and the main verb appears in the infinitive at the end:
- Ich darf gehen. (I may go.)
- Wir können singen. (We can sing.)
- Er muss arbeiten. (He must work.)
- Ihr wollt bleiben. (You want to stay.)
The modal verb carries the grammatical information (person, number, tense), while the main verb remains in its basic form.
Common Modal Verb Phrases
- dürfen: Darf ich...? (May I…?), Du darfst nicht rauchen. (You may not smoke.)
- können: Ich kann helfen. (I can help.), Kannst du kommen? (Can you come?)
- mögen: Ich mag Schokolade. (I like chocolate.), Magst du Kaffee? (Do you like coffee?)
- müssen: Ich muss gehen. (I must go.), Wir müssen früh aufstehen. (We have to get up early.)
- sollen: Du sollst das Buch lesen. (You should read the book.), Soll ich warten? (Should I wait?)
- wollen: Ich will schlafen. (I want to sleep.), Wollt ihr mitkommen? (Do you want to come along?)
Summary
German modal verbs are essential for expressing possibility, permission, necessity, desire, and obligation. They are always followed by an infinitive verb at the sentence’s end. Understanding their meanings and conjugations will help you form a wide range of everyday sentences.
Last updated: Sat May 31, 2025
