Modal verbs express necessity, ability, permission, or intention and shape how actions are understood in German.
dürfen (to be allowed to)
dürfen shows permission or sometimes polite requests; use it when asking or giving approval for an action.
| German Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|
| Ich darf hier parken. | I am allowed to park here. | |
| Darf ich das Fenster öffnen? | May I open the window? | |
| Du darfst heute länger bleiben. | You may stay longer today. |
I am allowed to park here.
können (to be able to / can)
können expresses ability or possibility and is used for both physical skills and situational chances.
| German Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|
| Ich kann Deutsch sprechen. | I can speak German. | |
| Kannst du mir helfen? | Can you help me? | |
| Wir können morgen kommen. | We can come tomorrow. |
müssen (to have to / must)
müssen indicates necessity or obligation; use it for rules, duties, or unavoidable requirements.
| German Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|
| Ich muss jeden Tag lernen. | I have to study every day. | |
| Musst du jetzt gehen? | Do you have to go now? | |
| Wir müssen pünktlich sein. | We must be on time. |
sollen (to be supposed to / should)
sollen relates to advice, recommendations, or duties assigned by others; use it for guidance or reported obligations.
| German Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|
| Du sollst mehr Wasser trinken. | You should drink more water. | |
| Soll ich das machen? | Am I supposed to do that? | |
| Er soll morgen kommen. | He is supposed to come tomorrow. |
wollen (to want to)
wollen expresses intention or desire to do something; use it for plans, wishes, or decisions.
| German Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|
| Ich will ein Buch kaufen. | I want to buy a book. | |
| Willst du mitkommen? | Do you want to come along? | |
| Wir wollen später essen. | We want to eat later. |
mögen (to like to / would like to)
mag and möchten relate to liking or polite wants; use möchten for courteous requests and mag for general preferences.
| German Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|
| Ich mag Schokolade. | I like chocolate. | |
| Möchtest du Kaffee? | Would you like coffee? | |
| Sie mögen ins Kino gehen. | They like to go to the cinema. |
müssen vs. sollen
müssen conveys actual necessity while sollen relates to external expectations or advice; choose based on whether the obligation is internal or assigned.
Du musst die Arbeit machen means you have a real requirement to do it, while Du sollst die Arbeit machen suggests someone told you to do it.
Summary
Modal verbs like dürfen, können, müssen, sollen, wollen, and mögen shape meaning by expressing permission, ability, necessity, advice, intention, and preference; learn key examples to use them naturally.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025