Modalverben. The verbs that have super powers.
| Modal verb | Primary (& secondary) “modes” it conveys |
English meaning |
| können | ability (possibility) | can, to be able to (may, might) |
| dürfen | permission (probability) | may, to be allowed to (in the negative: ought not) |
| müssen | necessity, compulsion | must, to have to, to need to (should, ought) |
| mögen | liking (probability, possibility) | to like (may, can) |
| wollen | desire, intention | to want to, to intend to, shall (to claim to) |
| sollen | obligation (intention, prediction) | shall, to be supposed to (should, is said to be, ought to) |
They are the kings and queens of verbs.
They push back all the verbs to the end of the sentence.
They are conjugated irregularly.
Even in other languages, they rule.
Modalverben.
Dr. McMuffin says Deutsche! 