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Modal auxiliary verbs - function

Modal auxiliary verbs express relations (such as permission, obligation, ability, etc.) between the doers of actions and the actions themselves. The singular forms of German modal auxiliary verbs use special stems.

Infinitive Singular stem Meaning
dürfen
können
mögen
müssen
sollen
wollen 		darf
kann
mag
muss
soll
will 		to be permitted to, may
to be able to, can
to like to
to have to, must
to be supposed to, should
to want to

 

 

© 1997 by Gary Smith