German Modal Verbs

German Modal Verbs Update: 9/29/09

	Ich	Du	er/sie/es	wir	ihr	sie/Sie
können - to be able to, can	kann	kannst	kann	können	könnt	können
müssen - to have to, must	muß	mußt	muß	müssen	müsst	müssen
dürfen - to be allowed to	darf	darfst	darf	dürfen	dürft	dürfen
sollen - to be supposed to	soll	sollst	soll	sollen	sollt	sollen
wollen - to want (to)	will	willst	will	wollen	wollt	wollen
mögen - to like	mag	magst	mag	mögen	mögt	mögen

The follow section was compiled from various pages on about.com

PRÄSENS (Present)	PRÄTERITUM (Preterite/Past)	PERFEKT (Pres. Perfect)
DÜRFEN - be allowed/permitted, may
ich darf I may (am permitted)	ich durfte I was allowed	ich habe gedurft * I was allowed
du darfst you may	du durftest you were allowed	du hast gedurft * you were allowed
er/sie darf he/she may	er/sie durfte he/she was allowed	er/sie hat gedurft * he/she was allowed
wir/Sie/sie dürfen we/you/they may	wir/Sie/sie durften we/you/they were allowed	wir/Sie/sie haben gedurft * we/you/they were allowed
ihr dürft you (pl.) may	ihr durftet you (pl.) were allowed	ihr habt gedurft * you (pl.) were allowed
* In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples: ihr habt sprechen dürfen = you (pl.) were allowed to speak ich hatte sprechen dürfen = I had been allowed to speak
KÖNNEN - be able, can
ich kann I can, am able	ich konnte I could	ich habe gekonnt * I could
du kannst you can	du konntest you could	du hast gekonnt * you could
er/sie kann he/she can	er/sie konnte he/she could	er/sie hat gekonnt * he/she could
wir/Sie/sie können we/you/they can	wir/Sie/sie konnten we/you/they could	wir/Sie/sie haben gekonnt * we/you/they could
ihr könnt you (pl.) can	ihr konntet you (pl.) could	ihr habt gekonnt * you (pl.) could
* In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples: wir haben schwimmen können = we were able to swim ich hatte schwimmen können = I had been able to swim
MÖGEN - like, want, may
ich mag I like	ich mochte I liked	ich habe gemocht * I liked
du magst you like	du mochtest you liked	du hast gemocht * you liked
er/sie mag he/she likes	er/sie mochte he/she liked	er/sie hat gemocht * he/she liked
wir/Sie/sie mögen we/you/they like	wir/Sie/sie mochten we/you/they liked	wir/Sie/sie haben gemocht * we/you/they liked
ihr mögt you (pl.) like	ihr mochtet you (pl.) could	ihr habt gemocht * you (pl.) could
* In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples: wir haben schwimmen mögen = we liked to swim ich hatte schwimmen mögen = I had liked to swim mögen is often used in its subjunctive (möchte) "would like" form: Ich möchte lieber Kaffee (haben). = I would rather have coffee. Wir möchten ins Kino. = We'd like to go to the movies.
MÜSSEN - have to, must
ich muss I must, have to	ich musste I had to	ich habe gemusst * I had to
du musst you must, have to	du musstest you had to	du hast gemusst * you had to
er/sie muss he/she must	er/sie musste he/she had to	er/sie hat gemusst * he/she had to
wir/Sie/sie müssen we/you/they have to	wir/Sie/sie mussten we/you/they had to	wir/Sie/sie haben gemusst * we/you/they had to
ihr müsst you (pl.) must	ihr musstet you (pl.) had to	ihr habt gemusst * you (pl.) had to
* In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples: ihr habt sprechen müssen = you (pl.) had to speak ich hatte sprechen müssen = I had had to speak Note: The old spelling with ß, as in ich muß or gemußt, is no longer used for forms of müssen.
SOLLEN - should, ought to, supposed to
ich soll I should	ich sollte I should have	ich habe gesollt * I should have
du sollst you should	du solltest you should have	du hast gesollt * you should have
er/sie soll he/she should	er/sie sollte he/she should have	er/sie hat gesollt * he/she should have
wir/Sie/sie sollen we/you/they should	wir/Sie/sie sollten we/you/they should have	wir/Sie/sie haben gesollt * we/you/they should have
ihr sollt you (pl.) should	ihr solltet you (pl.) should have	ihr habt gesollt * you (pl.) should have
* In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples: wir haben gehen sollen = we should have gone ich hatte fahren sollen = I had been supposed to drive
WOLLEN - want to
ich will I want to	ich wollte I wanted to	ich habe gewollt * I wanted to
du willst you want to	du wolltest you wanted to	du hast gewollt * you wanted to
er/sie will he/she wants to	er/sie wollte he/she wanted to	er/sie hat gewollt * he/she wanted to
wir/Sie/sie wollen we/you/they want to	wir/Sie/sie wollten we/you/they wanted to	wir/Sie/sie haben gewollt * we/you/they wanted to
ihr wollt you (pl.) want to	ihr wolltet you (pl.) wanted to	ihr habt gewollt * you (pl.) wanted to
* In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples: wir haben sprechen wollen = we wanted to speak ich hatte gehen wollen = I had wanted to go

EXAMPLES

1. dürfen (to be permitted, may)

Present: Darf ich rauchen? May I smoke?
Past/Preterite: Er durfte das nicht. He wasn't permitted to do that.
Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Er hat dort nicht parken dürfen. He was not permitted to park there.
Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Wir hatten das damals machen dürfen. We had been allowed to do that back then.
Future/Futur: Wir werden das machen dürfen. We will be allowed to do that.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Wenn ich dürfte... If I were permitted...

NOTE: For all modals with umlauts, the simple past (preterite/Imperfekt) has no umlaut, but the subjunctive form always has an umlaut!
Sample Idiomatic Expressions:
Was darf es sein? May I help you? (store clerk)
Wenn ich bitten darf. If you please.

2. können (to be able, can, know)

Present: Er kann gut fahren. He can drive well.
Past/Preterite: Er konnte sie nicht leiden. He couldn't stand her.
Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Er hat sie nicht leiden können. He couldn't stand her.
Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Er hatte sie nicht leiden können. He had not been able to stand her.
Future/Futur: Er wird sie nicht leiden können. He won't be able to stand her.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Wenn ich ihn nur leiden könnte... If I could only stand him...

NOTE: For all modals with umlauts, the simple past (preterite/Imperfekt) has no umlaut, but the subjunctive form always has an umlaut!
Sample Idiomatic Expressions:
Sie könnten sich irren. You could be mistaken.
Das kann man wohl sagen. You can say that again.
Er kann Deutsch. He knows German. ("can German")
Er kann Sie jetzt sprechen. He can see you now. (doctor, dentist)

3. müssen (to have to, must)

Present: Ich muss dort Deutsch sprechen. I have to speak German there.
Past/Preterite: Er musste es nicht tun. He didn't have to do it.
Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Wir haben mit der Bahn fahren müssen. We had to go by train.
Future/Futur: Sie wird morgen abfahren müssen. She will have to depart tomorrow.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Wenn ich müsste... If I had to...

NOTE: For all modals with umlauts, the simple past (preterite/Imperfekt) has no umlaut, but the subjunctive form always has an umlaut!
Sample Idiomatic Expressions:
Ich muss nach Hause. I have to go home.
Muss das sein? Is that really necessary?
So müsste es immer sein. That's how it should be all the time.

4. mögen (to like)

Present: Er mag die Suppe. He likes the soup.
Past/Preterite: Er mochte die Stadt nicht. He didn't like the city.
Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Er hat das Essen nicht gemocht. He didn't like the food.
Future/Futur: Er wird das schon mögen. He'll like that.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Ja, er möchte Wein. Yes, he'd like (some) wine.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Ich möchte... I would like...

NOTE: For all modals with umlauts, the simple past (preterite/Imperfekt) has no umlaut, but the subjunctive form always has an umlaut!
Sample Idiomatic Expressions:
Das mag wohl sein. That well may be. / That may be so.
Das mag der Himmel verhütten! Heaven forbid!
Er mag/mochte etwa 1,3 Meter groß sein. He must be/must have been about 1.3 meters tall.

5. sollen (to be supposed to, should/ought to)

Present: Er soll reich sein. He's supposed to be rich. / It's said that he's rich.
Past/Preterite: Er sollte gestern ankommen. He was supposed to arrive yesterday.
Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Du hast ihn anrufen sollen. You should have called him.
Future (in sense of): Er soll das morgen haben. He'll have that tomorrow.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Das hättest du nicht tun sollen. You shouldn't have done that.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Wenn ich sollte... If I should...
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Sollte sie anrufen... If she should (happen to) call...
Sample Idiomatic Expressions:
Das Buch soll sehr gut sein. The book is said to be very good.
Du sollst damit sofort aufhören! You're to stop that right now!
Was soll das (heißen)? What's that supposed to mean? What's the idea?
Es soll nicht wieder vorkommen. It won't happen again.

6. wollen (to want to, said to be)

Present: Sie will nicht gehen. She doesn't want to go.
Past/Preterite: Ich wollte das Buch lesen. I wanted to read the book.
Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Sie haben den Film immer sehen wollen. They have always wanted to see the movie.
Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Wir hatten den Film immer sehen wollen. We had always wanted to see the movie.
Future/Futur: Er wird gehen wollen. He will want to go.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Wenn ich wollte... If I wanted to...
Sample Idiomatic Expressions:
Das will nicht viel sagen. That's of little consequence. That doesn't mean much.
Er will es nicht gesehen haben. He claims not to have seen it.
Das hat er nicht gewollt. That's not what he intended.