Weitere Modalverben
Back in Lesson 11 you got möchten and können - "would like" and "can." Today fills out the rest of the set: must, may, should, and want to. Together, these six modal verbs cover almost every shade of obligation, permission, and desire you'll need at A1-2.
| Verb | ich-form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| müssen | muss | must / have to (obligation) |
| dürfen | darf | may / am allowed to (permission) |
| sollen | soll | should (advice/expectation) |
| wollen | will | want to (stronger than möchte) |
Same pattern as möchten/können from Lesson 11: ich and er/sie/es always match, and the main verb's infinitive goes to the end. Full table: Reference - Modal Verbs.
Ich muss zum Amt gehen. (I have to go to the office.)
Hier darf man nicht rauchen. (Smoking isn't allowed here.)
Du sollst pünktlich kommen. (You should come on time.)
wollen and möchten both translate as "want," but they carry different social weight - wollen is direct and can sound demanding in a request, while möchten is the polite default. In a shop, "Ich möchte einen Kaffee" (Lesson 11) is the right register; "Ich will einen Kaffee" sounds closer to a child's demand.
1. "I have to go to the office." - Ich ______ zum Amt gehen.
2. "Smoking isn't allowed here." - Hier ______ man nicht rauchen.
3. Which modal verb expresses advice or expectation ("should")?
4. Which is more polite in a shop - "Ich möchte" or "Ich will"?
5. "I want to learn German." - Ich ______ Deutsch lernen.
Cross-checked against the official Goethe-Zertifikat A1 Wortliste.
Unsure which modal verb fits a specific situation? Ask your teaching agent to check the register and meaning.