Modal verbs express wanting, being able to, having to. They're irregular in the singular but follow one shared, learnable pattern - and they push the main verb to the very end of the sentence, which feels strange at first and becomes automatic fast.
| ich | möchte |
| du | möchtest |
| er/sie/es | möchte |
| wir | möchten |
| Sie | möchten |
| ich | kann |
| du | kannst |
| er/sie/es | kann |
| wir | können |
| Sie | können |
Pattern shared by all German modal verbs: ich and er/sie/es always match each other (möchte/möchte, kann/kann) - no -e or -t ending like regular verbs. This is a genuine shortcut once you notice it: learn the ich-form, and you already know the er/sie/es-form for free.
A modal verb takes the normal verb-second slot (see Word Order), and the main verb - in its plain infinitive form - gets pushed to the very end of the sentence:
Ich möchte einen Kaffee bestellen. (I would like to order a coffee.)
Kann ich das Fenster öffnen? (Can I open the window?)
No matter how long the sentence gets in between, the infinitive always lands at the end - this is one of the most consistent rules in the whole language.
| Pronoun | müssen (must) | dürfen (may/allowed to) | sollen (should) | wollen (want to) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | muss | darf | soll | will |
| du | musst | darfst | sollst | willst |
| Sie | müssen | dürfen | sollen | wollen |
Same shared pattern as möchten/können: ich and er/sie/es always match (muss/muss, darf/darf, will/will), and the main verb's infinitive still goes to the end of the sentence.
Ich muss zum Amt gehen. (I have to go to the office - obligation)
Hier darf man nicht rauchen. (Smoking isn't allowed here - permission)
Du sollst pünktlich kommen. (You should come on time - advice/expectation)
Ich will Deutsch lernen. (I want to learn German - stronger/more personal than möchte)
wollen vs. möchten: both mean "want," but wollen is blunter and more assertive, while möchten is the polite, softer form - reach for möchten in shops and formal requests (Lesson 11), and wollen for stating a genuine intention or desire.
Cross-checked against the official Goethe-Zertifikat A1 Wortliste.