German conjugation explanation

Modal Verbs

<p>German modal verbs follow a specific irregular pattern in the

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/48/" target="_blank">Present Indicative</a>

. Historically, these belong to a group called <span style="font-style: italic;">Präteritopräsentia</span>. The verb

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ger/wissen/" title="Click to see conjugations for wissen" target="_blank">wissen</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to know</span>) also follows this exact pattern.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">The "No Ending" Rule</div>

<p>Unlike regular verbs, the <strong>1st person singular</strong> (<span style="font-style: italic;">ich</span>) and <strong>3rd person singular</strong> (<span style="font-style: italic;">er/sie/es</span>) have <strong>no ending</strong>. These two forms are always <strong>identical</strong>.</p>

<p>A common mistake is to add the regular endings <span style="font-style: italic;">-e</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">-t</span> to these forms.</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div><strong>Regular Pattern:</strong></div>

<div>ich mach<strong>e</strong>, er mach<strong>t</strong></div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>Modal Pattern:</strong></div>

<div><span class="green_emphasis">ich muss</span> (NOT <span class="red_emphasis">ich musse</span>)</div>

<div><span class="green_emphasis">er kann</span> (NOT <span class="red_emphasis">er kannt</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ich <span class="green_emphasis">muss</span> heute arbeiten. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I have to work today.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Er <span class="green_emphasis">muss</span> heute arbeiten. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He has to work today.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Vowel Change</div>

<p>Most modal verbs undergo a stem vowel change in the singular forms (S/1, S/2, S/3). The plural forms usually retain the original vowel of the infinitive.</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ger/d%C3%BCrfen/" title="Click to see conjugations for dürfen" target="_blank">dürfen</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to be allowed</span>): <strong>ü &#8594; a</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">wir d<strong>ü</strong>rfen &#8594; ich d<span class="in_word_highlight">a</span>rf</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ger/k%C3%B6nnen/" title="Click to see conjugations for können" target="_blank">können</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to be able</span>): <strong>ö &#8594; a</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">wir k<strong>ö</strong>nnen &#8594; er k<span class="in_word_highlight">a</span>nn</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ger/m%C3%B6gen/" title="Click to see conjugations for mögen" target="_blank">mögen</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to like</span>): <strong>ö &#8594; a</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">wir m<strong>ö</strong>gen &#8594; ich m<span class="in_word_highlight">a</span>g</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ger/m%C3%BCssen/" title="Click to see conjugations for müssen" target="_blank">müssen</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to have to</span>): <strong>ü &#8594; u</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">wir m<strong>ü</strong>ssen &#8594; er m<span class="in_word_highlight">u</span>ss</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ger/wollen/" title="Click to see conjugations for wollen" target="_blank">wollen</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to want</span>): <strong>o &#8594; i</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">wir w<strong>o</strong>llen &#8594; sie w<span class="in_word_highlight">i</span>ll</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ger/wissen/" title="Click to see conjugations for wissen" target="_blank">wissen</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to know</span>): <strong>i &#8594; ei</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">wir w<strong>i</strong>ssen &#8594; ich w<span class="in_word_highlight">ei</span>ß</div>

</li>

</ul>

<p><strong>Note:</strong>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/ger/sollen/" title="Click to see conjugations for sollen" target="_blank">sollen</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">should/to be supposed to</span>) is an exception; it follows the "no ending" rule but keeps its vowel (<span style="font-style: italic;">o</span>) in all forms.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Conjugation Tables</div>

<p>In the following tables, notice how the singular forms (Singular 1, 2, 3) differ from the root, while the plural forms typically return to the root pattern. Also note the lack of endings in the highlighted S/1 and S/3 forms:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/48/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Präsens</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ich

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">kann<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

du

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">kannst<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

er

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">kann<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

wir

</span>können

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ihr

</span>könnt

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

sie

</span>können

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/48/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Präsens</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ich

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">muss<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

du

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">musst<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

er

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">muss<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

wir

</span>müssen

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ihr

</span>müsst

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

sie

</span>müssen

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/48/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Präsens</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ich

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">will<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

du

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">willst<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

er

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">will<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

wir

</span>wollen

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ihr

</span>wollt

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

sie

</span>wollen

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>