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German · A2

Modal verbs

können, müssen, wollen, dürfen, sollen, möchten.

12 minutes · A free lesson from A2: Alltag (everyday life) · Roman and Urdu pronunciation guides and English meanings are shown under each phrase

Modal verbs

könnenSay: koenuhnکَنَنMeans: can, to be able tocan, be able toIch kann gut schwimmen.Say: ikh kan goot shvimuhn.اِخ کان گُوت شوِمَن.Means: I can swim well.
müssenSay: muesuhnمُسَنMeans: must, to have tomust, have toIch muss heute arbeiten.Say: ikh mus hoytuh arbaituhn.اِخ مُس ہوئتَ اربائتَن.Means: I have to work today.
wollenSay: voluhnوولَنMeans: to want towant toWir wollen nach Wien fahren.Say: veer voluhn naakh veen faaruhn.ویر وولَن ناخ وین فارَن.Means: We want to go to Vienna.
dürfenSay: duerfuhnدُرفَنMeans: may, to be allowed tomay, be allowed toHier darf man nicht rauchen.Say: heer darf man nikht rowkhuhn.ہیر دارف مان نِخت راؤخَن.Means: You may not smoke here.
sollenSay: zoluhnزولَنMeans: should, to be supposed toshould, be supposed toDu sollst den Arzt anrufen.Say: doo zolst dehn artst anroofuhn.دُو زولست دےن ارتست انرُوفَن.Means: You are supposed to call the doctor.
möchtenSay: moekhtuhnمَختَنMeans: would like (to)would like toIch möchte einen Kaffee.Say: ikh moekhtuh ainuhn kafeh.اِخ مَختَ آئنَن کافے.Means: I would like a coffee.

The modal verb is in second place; the other verb goes to the end in the infinitive: Ich muss heute lange arbeiten.

Ich muss heute lange arbeiten.Say ikh mus hoytuh languh arbaituhn.اِخ مُس ہوئتَ لانگَ اربائتَن.Means: I have to work long hours today.

Quick check: Choose the correct sentence.

  1. Ich kann spielen Gitarre.
  2. Ich kann Gitarre spielen.
  3. Ich spielen kann Gitarre.
Show the answer

B: Ich kann Gitarre spielen.

Lesson quiz

Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.

Quick check: What does “Hier darf man nicht rauchen” mean?

  1. You are not allowed to smoke here.
  2. You have to smoke here.
  3. Nobody wants to smoke here.
Show the answer

A: You are not allowed to smoke here. — dürfen means may, or be allowed to. nicht dürfen means not allowed to.

Quick check: Which sentence says “I have to work today”?

  1. Ich möchte einen Kaffee.
  2. Ich kann gut schwimmen.
  3. Ich muss heute arbeiten.
Show the answer

C: Ich muss heute arbeiten. — müssen means must, or have to.

Quick check: Which modal verb means “would like to”?

  1. müssen
  2. möchten
  3. dürfen
Show the answer

B: möchten — möchten is the polite way to say what you would like: Ich möchte einen Kaffee.

Quick check: Which position does the other verb take after a modal verb?

  1. Straight after the modal verb
  2. The end, in the infinitive
  3. The start of the sentence
Show the answer

B: The end, in the infinitive — Ich muss heute lange arbeiten: the modal verb is second, and arbeiten goes to the end.

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