In this step we will get acquainted with another group of verbs - modal verbs in German. We are talking about verbs that express a subjective attitude to a situation, for example I can do something, I want to do something etc. They conjugate in an unusual way. These are the verbs:
können- be able to, be able to
wissen- know
mussen- to be due
sollen- to be due
mögen- be in love
möchten– would like (derived from the verb mögen, meaning “I would like...”)
wollen- want
durfen– allow (meaning “I am allowed...”)
Modal verbs in German they are conjugated as follows:
| ich | kann | wir | können |
| du | kannst | ihr | könnt |
| er/sie/es | kann | Sie/sie | können |
Actually, the whole feature lies in the first column. Here können is turning kann And kannst. In the second column, the verb receives endings that are already known to us; there is nothing new. In addition, the forms ich And er match up. Therefore, for the remaining modal verbs I will give only the first column:
| wollen | wissen | durfen | mögen | möchten | sollen | mussen | |
| ich | will | weiss | darf | mag | möchte | soll | muss |
| du | willst | weisst | darfst | magst | möchtest | sollst | must |
| er/sie/es | will | weiss | darf | mag | möchte | soll | muss |
Now let’s bring these verbs into our conversation and analyze their meanings in detail.
können- be able, be able (general meaning). By using können can be expressed:
ability : Ich kann schwimmen. - I can swim.
opportunity : Hier kann man schwimmen. - You can swim here.
permission : Du kannst heute Nacht bei uns bleiben. “You can stay with us tonight.”
polite question: Kann ich Ihnen helfen? - Can I help you?
durfen- to have permission to do something. Also durfen has the following meanings:
permission: Sie dürfen gern hereinkommen. - You can come in.
to have a right: Mit 18 Jahren darf man in Deutschland wählen. — In Germany, people over 18 years of age have the right to vote.
polite question: Darf ich Sie etwas Persönliches fragen? — Can I ask you something personal?
moral: Man darf nicht zu alten Leuten unhöflich sein. “You can’t be impolite with older people.”
What is the difference between durfen And können in polite questions? Dürfen- this is a more polite form, können– more informal.
mussen- to be due (subjective feeling or intention). By using mussen can be expressed:
call of Duty: Ich muss für die Prüfung lernen.— I have to study for the exam.
moral: Man muss alten Leuten helfen.— We need to help older people.
duty before the law
: Bei einer roten Ampel muss man warten.— If the traffic light is red, you need to wait.
sollen- to be due (objective feeling, that is, someone else said that he should). This word can be expressed:
objective duty
: Der Lehrer hat gesagt, ich soll nach dem Unterricht bleiben.— The teacher said that I should stay after class.
recommendation: Du bist erkältet, du sollst lieber zu Hause bleiben.- You have a cold, you better stay home.
direct order: Sie sollen aufstehen!- You must get up!
question-suggestion
: Soll ich das Licht ausmachen?— Should I turn off the light? Soll ich dir helfen?- Should I help you?
mussen vs. sollen
Both words mean “to ought,” but the meaning is slightly different for both words.
Was denkst du? Soll ich heute tanzen gehen?- Do you think I should go to the dance today?
A very typical German answer:
Du kannst es gerne machen, aber du musst nicht.- You can do it (if you want), but you don’t have to (shouldn’t).
mussen– you yourself decided that you need to do this, it’s your will.
sollen– someone told you that you have to do this – it’s not your will.
wollen- want, desire, plan
Wir wollen Deutsch lernen.— We want to learn German.
Wollt ihr Deutsch lernen?— Where do you want/plan to learn German?
möchten- I would like to. A more polite form than wollen.
Möchten Sie auch etwas essen?— Verbatim: Would you also like to eat something?
Was it möchten Sie?-What would you like? (this is what the waiter asks in a restaurant)
Ich möchte nur trinken. - I would just like to have a drink.
mögen- to love, to like. This word has the following meanings:
be in love: Ich mag germn Eis.- I like ice cream. Ich mag nicht alleine zu Hause sein.— I don’t like being alone at home.
polite question "could you"
:Magst du diesen Text vorlesen?— Could you read this text out loud?
wissen- know
Er weiss das.- He knows it.
Weiss du, wann der Zug abfährt?— Do you know when the train leaves?
Ich weiss es nicht.- I don't know.
Modal verbs in German: expressing the degree of probability
Verbs müssen, sollen, können, mögen They are also combined into one group because they indicate different degrees of probability or confidence in such sentences as:
Das muss so sein.- That’s how it should be (I’m 100% sure)
Das soll so sein.- That’s how it should be (80% sure, because someone else said it)
Das kann so sein.— It may be so (I’m 50-60% sure, I don’t know for sure)
Das mag so sein.— Maybe so (I’m 30-40% sure, maybe, but I really doubt it)
Exercises for the topic:
Do you have any questions about this topic? Write in the comments.
Lesson 6: Modal verbs in German. What are they? was last modified: November 1st, 2018 by Catherine
Modal verbs are special group verbs, they themselves do not express the action, but only express the attitude of the subject to the action.
Therefore, a modal verb cannot be alone in a sentence; it always needs a friend - a semantic verb, which is always used in the infinitive. And together they form a complex verbal predicate.
Intrigued? Let's dig into these special verbs. Meet:
können
können expresses skill or physical ability. Translated as “to be able to”
Ich kann diesels Problem lösen. – I can (capable) solve this problem.
Wer kann mir das erklären?– Who can explain this to me?
durfen
durfen expresses permission or prohibition. Translated as “be able, have permission, right”
Darf ich mein Platz nehmen?– May I take my seat?
mussen
mussen expresses the need to perform this or that action under the influence of internal pressure (that is, we ourselves realize that it is necessary to do this), translated as “to be obliged, to be forced”
Ich muss die Eltern besuchen.– I have to visit my parents.
Ich muss sparen.- I have to save money.
Ich muss um 8.30 Uhr im Büro sein. – I need to be in the office at 8:30. (I realize this myself)
sollen
sollen used to express an order, compliance with rules or law, translated as "be obliged"
Ihr sollt die Arbeit heute abgeben!– You must submit your work today!
wollen
wollen expresses a firm desire or decision to perform an action, translated as "want"
Ich will eine Tasse Tee trinken.- I want to drink a cup of tea.
mögen
mögen means interest in something, love, translated as “to desire, to love”
1. It is also used to express an assumption.
Sie mag krank sein.- She may be sick.
Was mag das bedeuten?– What could this mean?
2. In the meaning of “to love, to like” it has almost ceased to be modal and is used independently
Ich mag Eis. - I like ice cream.
möchten (verb mögen in the Konjunktiv II subjunctive mood), in contrast to the modal verb wollen, which expresses a strong desire, expresses desire, polite request, and is used independently without another verb.
Ich möchte eine Tasse Tee trinken.– I would like to have a cup of tea.
Modal verbs. Order of words in a sentence
In an affirmative sentence, the modal verb is in second place, and the semantic verb is at the end of the sentence.
Ich will Automechaniker werden.
In an interrogative sentence without a question word, the modal verb comes first, the semantic verb at the end of the sentence.
Kanst du Deutsch sprechen?
In an interrogative sentence with a question word, the modal verb is in second place, the semantic verb at the end of the sentence.
Was kannst du mir zeigen?
Modal verbs. Präsens (present)
Note:
1. During conjugation, the umlaut disappears or the vowel changes altogether (compare machen - er macht, durfen – er darf)
2. Unlike ordinary verbs, no ending is added in the 1st person “-e”, in the 3rd person the ending “-” is not added t"(compare er macht And er soll)
There is only one conclusion - the conjugation of these verbs must be learned and thoroughly practiced.
Conjugation table for modal verbs in the present tense:
| mussen | können | durfen | sollen | wollen | mögen | möchten | |
| ich | muss | kann | darf | soll | will | mag | möchte |
| du | must | kannst | darfst | sollst | willst | magst | möchtest |
| er/sie/es/man | muss | kann | darf | soll | will | mag | möchte |
| wir | mussen | können | durfen | sollen | wollen | mögen | möchten |
| ihr | müsst | könnt | durft | sollt | wollt | mögt | möchtet |
| sie/Sie | mussen | können | durfen | sollen | wollen | mögen | möchten |
Modal verbs. Past tense
Note:
1. The umlaut disappears in the past tense.
2. To form the past tense of the verb möchten (Konjunktiv II from mögen), wollen is used.
Präteritum:
| mussen | können | durfen | sollen | wollen | mögen | möchten | |
| ich | must | konnte | durfte | sollte | Wollte | mochte | Wollte |
| du | musttest | konntest | durftest | solltest | Wolltest | mochtest | Wolltest |
| er/sie/es/man | must | konnte | durfte | sollte | Wollte | mochte | Wollte |
| wir | mussten | konnten | durften | sollten | wollten | mochten | wollten |
| ihr | musstet | konntet | durftet | solltet | wolltet | mochtet | wolltet |
| sie/Sie | mussten | konnten | durften | sollten | wollten | mochten | wollten |
Perfect (participle II):
To form Perfect, all modal verbs use the auxiliary verb haben.
| mussen | können | durfen | sollen | wollen | mögen | möchten |
| gemusst | gekonnt | gedurft | Gesollt | gewollt | gemocht | gewollt |
Conjunctiv II:
| mussen | können | durfen | sollen | wollen | mögen | möchten |
| müsste | könnte | durfte | sollte | Wollte | möchte |
Modality is a grammatical category that expresses the speaker’s attitude towards the statement.
In German, modality can be expressed in a sentence in various ways: I. Using modal verbs (in this manual we decided not to dwell in detail on this method, since it does not present any particular difficulties in translating and understanding the sentence; II. The meaning of modality can be expressed by infinitive constructions haben +zu + Infinitive, sein + zu + Infinitive. You can often find these designs in the technical literature.
Combination haben + zu + Infinitive And sein + zu + Infinitive express an obligation, less often a possibility, and correspond in meaning to modal verbs mü ssen, sollen and, less often, kö nnen.
Combination haben + zu + Infinitive means obligation and has an active meaning. It is used when the subject is the subject performing the action. This combination is translated with the words “must, must, need”:
a) Der Zylinder hat im Dieselmotor im Gegensatz zum Verbrennungsmotor nur reine Luft anzusaugen. – Diesel engine cylinder as opposed to carburetor engine must suck only clean air.
b) Beim Bau eines Eisbrechers mit Atommotor hat man zahlreiche schwierige Aufgaben zu lö sen. – During the construction of a nuclear-powered icebreaker must (must) be decided numerous difficult tasks.
Combination sein + zu + Infinitive means obligation or possibility and is passive in nature. The subject in this case denotes the object or person to whom the action is directed.
Combination sein + zu + Infinitive translated by the words “should, should be, maybe”:
a) Die Erforschungen der neuen Legierungen sind fortzusetzen. – Research of new alloys should continue.
b) Diese Strahlen sind in der Technik und in der Medizin zu verwenden. - These rays must be applied in technology and medicine.
III. The meaning of modality can be expressed by modal verbs in combination with the infinitive of another verb. Such combinations will make a guess, but only with varying degrees of certainty:
1) verb mü ssen + Infinitive– an assumption with a high degree of confidence, certainty: Diese Maschine muss eine neue Erfindung im Autostrassenbau sein. - This car, for sure(in all likelihood) a new invention in the field of highway construction.
2) kö nnen + Infinitive– perhaps, maybe, perhaps, probably: In diesem Falle kann auch ein Einfluss der magnetischen Wellen vorhanden sein. – In this case, there is probably the influence of magnetic waves.
3) mö gen + Infinitive– perhaps, maybe, perhaps, and also expresses a feasible desire, permission or softened order and is translated by the word “let”: Als weiterer Beweis mag noch die Leitfähigkeit dieses Körpers dienen. – Further proof probably serves, the conductivity of this body. Mag er diese Röhre nehmen. – Let He will take this vacuum tube.
4) dü rfen + Infinitive expresses an assumption and is translated by the words “possibly, probably, seems, obviously”: Eine höhere Temperatur bei der Bearbeitung durfte die Eigenschaften des Metalls verbessern. – Higher processing temperature, maybe improve metal quality.
5) solen + Infinitiv- an assumption conveyed from other people's words. In this case, additional words are used in translation: “they say, in the opinion, apparently” Die Experimente sollen erfolgreich verlaufen. – They say what experiments are leaking successfully.
6) wollen in the 1st person plural in combination with the infinitive of another verb has the connotation of a softened command: Wollen wir die wichtigsten Operationen nennen. – Let's call the most important operations.; Wollen wir jetzt die Wirkungsweise einer Kompressoranlage unpretentious. – Let's discuss Now the operating principle of the compressor unit.
IV. Modality can also be expressed using a verb sich lassen + Infinitiv. In this case, it is used to express possibility. Translated: “you can do something, get done”: Das Experiment lässt sich leicht wiederholen. – Experiment May be easily repeated.
Modal verbs are verbs with the meaning of desire, possibility, ability, obligation:
- wollen - want
- können - be able to, be able to
- mussen - to be due, must
- sollen - to be due, must
- durfen -
- mögen -
These verbs are conjugated in a special way:
Some verbs have a single and completely understandable meaning - cf. wollen - want, können - be able, others seem to duplicate each other - cf. mussen - to be due, must and sollen - to be due, must, and still others generally have whole spectrum values - cf. durfen - be able, have permission, dare, mögen - want, desire; be able; love, like. Let us explain all these meanings.
Verb wollen used in ordinary expressions of will:
- Ich will schlafen. - I want to sleep.
- Willst du nach Berlin fahren? - Do you want to go to Berlin?
In addition, this verb is involved in the formation of the imperative 1st l. plural "wollen wir" - Let's(do not confuse this form with wir wollen - we want):
- Wollen wir eine Pause machen! - Let's take a break!
- Wollen wir tanzen! - Let's Dance!
The verb wollen denotes desire and will in general. And how to express a wish in a polite form, see below (verb mögen).
The phrases “I’m hungry” and “I’m thirsty” in German are not associated with a verb of will, but with indications of hunger or thirst. Wed:
- Ich habe Hunger. - I want to eat.
- Ich habe Durst. - I'm thirsty.
Verb können means opportunity, ability, ability:
- Sie können mit dem Bus fahren. - You can go by bus.
- Ich kann gut schwimmen. - I can swim well/I am a good swimmer.
With language designations, the verb können can be used without another verb:
- Ich kann Russisch und Englisch. - I speak Russian and English.
- Ich kann ein wenig Deutsch. - I speak German a little bit.
The verbs müssen and sollen have the same basic meaning - to be due, must. But the shades of meaning of these verbs are completely different. Mussen means necessity as a result of internal conviction or objective circumstances (cf. English verb must):
- Ich muss gehen. - I have to go.
- Alle Schüler müssen Hausaufgaben machen. - All schoolchildren must do their homework.
Sollen means necessity as a consequence of some considerations, rules, etc. and expresses a recommendation (cf. the English verb should). This verb is translated into Russian by the impersonal phrase “should”:
- Sie sollen weniger essen. - You should eat less.
- Soll ich meinen Pass zeigen? - Do I need to show my passport?
It is clear that I have no internal need to show my passport, and the need in this case is related to some circumstances or considerations. Compare two examples:
- Christa muss viel arbeiten. - Krista has to work hard.
- Christa soll viel arbeiten. - Krista should work hard.
The first example means that Christe have to work hard, second - what does she care? should to work a lot. The difference between the verbs müssen and sollen should be noted Special attention in everyday life, since in a number of familiar situations sollen is used:
- Sie sollen nach rechts gehen. - You need to go right.
- Soll ich gleich bezahlen? - Should I pay right away?
- Wo soll ich den Schlüssel lassen? - Where should I leave the key?
The same pair as the verbs müssen and sollen, only in relation to possibility, is formed by the verbs können and dürfen. Verb können means the possibility as a result of free self-determination:
- Ich kann dieses Buch kaufen. - I can buy this book.
- Sie kann Tennis spielen. - She knows how to play tennis.
Verb durfen means possibility as a result of permission, permission:
- Darf ich fragen? - Can I ask?
- Wir dürfen diese Bücher nehmen. - We can borrow these books.
In various everyday matters, dürfen is used:
- Darf ich hinaus? - May go out?
- Darf ich gehen? - Can I go?
And it is no coincidence that on the packaging of low-calorie margarine, etc. For those who like to monitor their weight it is written:
- Du darfst! - You can!
Verb mögen- perhaps the most peculiar of all modal verbs. Firstly, in the present tense it means “to love, like”, etc.:
- Ich mag Fisch. - I like fish.
- Magst du Schwarzbrot? - Do you like black bread?
Secondly, this verb is mostly used in the subjunctive mood of the past tense (preterite) and then means a wish expressed in a polite form:
- Ich möchte diese Jacke kaufen. - I would like to buy this jacket.
- Möchten Sie weiter gehen oder bleiben wir hier? - Would you like to go further, or will we stay here?
The verb mögen in the past subjunctive mood is conjugated as follows:
When expressing any wishes in everyday life, the phrase “ich möchte” actually replaced the direct expression of will “ich will”. So if you want to buy something, watch something, etc., say “ich möchte” - and you can’t go wrong! But how can we say: “to want means to be able”? Very simply: Wer will, der kann!
Full verbs usually act in a sentence as a predicate or a semantic part of the predicate. The vast majority of German verbs fall into this category.
Functional verbs are used in a sentence in combination with other verbs, being only part of the predicate. In this case, they usually lose (partially or completely) their independent semantic meaning.
- Function verbs in German include:
- auxiliary verbs - haben, sein, werden;
- linking verbs - sein, werden, bleiben, heißen.
Using the auxiliary verbs haben, sein, werden, complex tense forms and passive voice are formed.
- The verbs haben, sein can also be used as full verbs. In this case, these verbs are translated into Russian:
- haben- have:
- sein- to be, to be:
- Modal verbs differ from ordinary full-valued verbs. They express not an action, but an attitude towards action. Modal verbs can express possibility, necessity, desire. Modal verbs in German include the following verbs:
- mussen- must, be obliged, be forced.
The verb müssen expresses necessity due to internal conviction, duty.
- sollen- must, be obliged.
The verb expresses necessity, obligation, obligation associated with someone’s instructions, the order established by someone, etc.
The verbs müssen and sollen can also be used to express an assumption, with the verb müssen to express one’s own assumption, and the verb sollen to express an assumption arising from someone else’s words.
- können- be able to, be able to (possess physical ability do something):
The verb können can also be used to mean “to be able to”:
- wollen- want, desire (often with a connotation of “intend to do something”):
The verb wollen is also used in the descriptive form of the 1st person imperative.
The verb mögen can also express a wish, advice, recommendation and is often translated in this case with the word “let.”