The verb to love in German. Full, auxiliary and modal verbs in German. Place of a modal verb in a sentence

Modal verbs are a special group of verbs; they themselves do not express an action, but only express the attitude of the subject to the action.

Therefore, a modal verb cannot be alone in a sentence; it always needs a friend - a semantic verb, which is always used in the infinitive. And together they form a complex verbal predicate.

Intrigued? Let's dig into these special verbs. Meet:

können

können expresses skill or physical ability. Translated as “to be able to”

Ich kann diesels Problem lösen. – I can (capable) solve this problem.

Wer kann mir das erklären?– Who can explain this to me?

durfen

durfen expresses permission or prohibition. Translated as “be able, have permission, right”

Darf ich mein Platz nehmen?– May I take my seat?

mussen

mussen expresses the need to perform this or that action under the influence of internal pressure (that is, we ourselves realize that it is necessary to do this), translated as “to be obliged, to be forced”

Ich muss die Eltern besuchen.– I have to visit my parents.

Ich muss sparen.- I have to save money.

Ich muss um 8.30 Uhr im Büro sein. – I need to be in the office at 8:30. (I realize this myself)

sollen

sollen used to express an order, compliance with rules or law, translated as "be obliged"

Ihr sollt die Arbeit heute abgeben!– You must submit your work today!

wollen

wollen expresses a firm desire or decision to perform an action, translated as "want"

Ich will eine Tasse Tee trinken.- I want to drink a cup of tea.

mögen

mögen means interest in something, love, translated as “to desire, to love”

1. It is also used to express an assumption.

Sie mag krank sein.- She may be sick.

Was mag das bedeuten?– What could this mean?

2. In the meaning of “to love, to like” it has almost ceased to be modal and is used independently

Ich mag Eis. - I like ice cream.

möchten (verb mögen in the Konjunktiv II subjunctive mood), in contrast to the modal verb wollen, which expresses a firm desire, expresses a desire, a polite request, and is used independently without another verb.

Ich möchte eine Tasse Tee trinken.– I would like to have a cup of tea.

Modal verbs. Order of words in a sentence

In an affirmative sentence, the modal verb is in second place, and the semantic verb is at the end of the sentence.

Ich will Automechaniker werden.

In an interrogative sentence without a question word, the modal verb comes first, the semantic verb at the end of the sentence.

Kanst du Deutsch sprechen?

In an interrogative sentence with a question word, the modal verb is in second place, the semantic verb at the end of the sentence.

Was kannst du mir zeigen?

Modal verbs. Präsens (present)

Note:

1. During conjugation, the umlaut disappears or the vowel changes altogether (compare machen - er macht, durfen – er darf)

2. Unlike ordinary verbs, no ending is added in the 1st person “-e”, in the 3rd person the ending “-” is not added t"(compare er macht And er soll)

There is only one conclusion - the conjugation of these verbs must be learned and thoroughly practiced.

Conjugation table for modal verbs in the present tense:

Modal verbs. Past tense

Note:

1. The umlaut disappears in the past tense.

2. To form the past tense of the verb möchten (Konjunktiv II from mögen), wollen is used.

Präteritum:

Perfect (Participle II):

To form Perfect, all modal verbs use the auxiliary verb haben.

Conjunctiv II:

Today it shares second place with Chinese in terms of demand, which is why many “polyglots” are trying to learn it. The second argument in favor of learning the German language is the native country itself - Germany. A high standard of living and hospitality towards emigrants is what is essential to her. But you can’t speak a language without knowing the basic rules of grammar.

What modal verbs exist in the official language of the European Union?

Modal verbs in German are limited in number, which is equal to 8. All “Verben”, in turn, are divided into synonymous pairs, but at the same time they have different purposes.

All pairs are translated into Russian by the same word, but if you use it in the wrong place, a slight confusion may arise, so you need to clearly know where to use the modal verb that is needed in a given situation, and where not.

Correct use of modal verbs

As noted before, modal verbs can be easily divided into synonymous pairs, but how can they be used correctly? This is exactly what needs to be dealt with.

Dürfen (Verb.) is translated as "to be able", but is used in the context of "To be able with the permission of something or someone." As an example, you can give the sentence: “Ich darf nicht mit dir ins Kino gehen, wegen des Verbot meinen Eltern,” and this can be translated as follows: “I won’t be able to go to the cinema with you because of my parents’ ban.”

Können (Verb.) also means “To be able”, but in this case there are two possible uses:
1) To be able to do something, for example, buy a car or something else.
2) To have the ability to do something. The Germans never express the concept of "knowing German" as "Ich kenne/weiß Deutsch", they say "Ich kann Deutsch".

Müssen - Verb., also has several meanings, but is translated: “Must”:
1) Forced to do something under the pressure of certain circumstances.
2) Forced to perform certain actions due to extreme necessity.
3) If the modal verb in German was used in the Konjunktiv II form, then the verb can mean the inevitability of some circumstances.

Sollen - Verb., creates a synonymous pair with the verb "Müssen", but is used within a more rigid framework:
1) Must do something according to clearly established laws or rules.
2) If we speak in an affirmative form, then the meaning of the sentence must be constructed in such a way that a person must demand the fulfillment of certain rules or moral norms.
3) Used as an additional emphasis on the fact that a person is forced to do this action by someone’s order or, possibly, instructions.

Mögen - Verb., which in translation expresses a certain desire of a person, or inclination towards some kind of craft.

Wollen - Verb., but he expresses not so much interest in the object as the desire to get it or the desire to perform some action.

German modal verb conjugation

The German language and its grammar are very diverse. Conjugation is one of the basic rules when studying the section "Modal Verbs in German". The conjugation of these particular verbs has several characteristic features that you need to remember once and not forget again, since they are used quite often. The first and most likely the most important rule is very simple and easy to remember. When conjugating a singular noun in the 1st and 3rd person, the verb does not have any ending, and its root can change, and you just need to remember this. In the already past tense (Präteritum, Perfekt), modal verbs are most often used in Präteritum and are also conjugated a little differently. Their umlauts [ä,ö,ü] disappear and their form begins to resemble Konjuktiv II.

Place of a modal verb in a sentence

Like other verbs in simple sentences, modals take second place in the sentence and play the role of the main verb.

In complex sentences where there are two verbs, the modal verb is the main one, and it changes depending on the subject, and the second verb goes to the very end of the sentence in the initial Infinitiv form.

In the third case, we have a subordinate clause with the conjunction dass/weil/obwohl and others, after which the verb must go to the end. If there are two verbs, and one of them is modal, then the modal verb will go to the very end, and the place in front of it will be taken by the contract verb, and in the initial Infinitiv form.

Well, the very last option that will be considered is the past tense. If a modal verb is used together with an auxiliary, then it has an infinitive form and comes to the end; in second place is an auxiliary verb, the conjugation of which depends on the subject.

Exercises for practicing modal verbs in German

Every person who learns a foreign language must be aware that it is quickly forgotten and requires constant refreshment of knowledge. There are several methods not to forget, and even more - to improve your language. Of course, the most productive thing is to immerse yourself in a language environment, where you have the opportunity to communicate around the clock in this language and improve your knowledge. Not everyone has the opportunity to live and study in one of the German-speaking countries for various reasons, so they have to learn German at home.

Modal verbs - exercises and various tasks to consolidate them - will help you hone your skills and learn to use sentences with them without errors in construction and conjugation. There are enough grammar textbooks and collections, but it is worth noting several publications, working with which will seem very pleasant and productive. This is "Deutsch. Kurzgrammatik zum Nachschlagen und üben", author - Monika Reimann, as well as "German Grammar" from a Ukrainian author named Zavyalova.

Results

Modal verbs in German play one of the most important roles in structuring text and sentences. Without a doubt, it is impossible to speak correctly in pure German if you do not know the basic rules that should be followed when using sentences with modal verbs. It’s impossible to just start speaking in an unfamiliar language; for this you need to work very hard and fruitfully, because it’s not for nothing that the Germans say: “Ohne Fleis, kein Preis.” This is the equivalent of the Russian proverb: “You can’t even pull a fish out of the pond without effort.”

Anyone who has set themselves the goal of learning to speak German well should not forget about grammar. If you decide to learn a foreign language for the purpose of traveling to another country, it will definitely come in handy. It is grammar that helps you construct phrases and write correctly. Without it, it is impossible to correctly formulate a sentence and convey the meaning of what you want to convey to your interlocutor.

Meaning And use modal verbs

Unlike the Russian language, where sometimes there are sentences with one subject, in German the verb is an integral part of every phrase. Here, not only semantic verbs are used, which carry the main load, but also auxiliary ones, which are also called modal. These parts of speech are used to display an attitude towards an action. Examples with translation:

• Du machst die Hausaufgabe. - You are doing your homework.
• Du sollst die Hausaufgabe machen. – You must do your homework.

Here machst/ machen (to do) is a semantic verb denoting an action, and sollst/sollen (to be obliged) is a modal verb expressing an attitude towards action.

Table: how much modal verbs in German?

List The most common modal verbs in the German language can be presented in one table. Here are translations and examples of their use.

Model verb conjugation: present tense

The most convenient way to learn the conjugation of modal verbs in German is using a table. Shown here 6 options for how verbs change in Präsens, or present tense.

Modal verbs in past tense

The table shows how German verbs are conjugated in the present tense - prateritum, or past tense:

The table clearly shows that the forms of verbs in the first and third person singular are completely the same - they have a zero ending in the present tense and an -e ending in Präteritum. Verbs in the first and third person plural are the same - here the ending –en is used.

In the second person singular and plural, all modal verbs have the endings -st and –t, respectively.

Another feature that occurs in the conjugation of German modal verbs in Present is the change in the vowel in the root of the word, which is singular. The exception is the verb sollen. In the Imperfect, all modal verbs take the suffix – t.

In Perfect, the modal verb would look like this:

Ich habe die Waschmaschine reparieren müssen. — I had to fix the washing machine.

How are modal verbs used in a sentence?

Among the frequently asked questions by beginners, one can highlight the order of words in a sentence using modal verbs.

Declarative sentence will look like this:

Ich möchte dieses Buch lesen. – I would like to read this book.

Here the subject comes first, followed by the modal verb, then the secondary members, and at the end of the sentence there is a semantic verb.

If the offer interrogative, That without a word-question the modal verb will come first:

Möchtest du dieses Buch lesen? – Would you like to read this book?

With a question word, if it comes first, then a modal verb is placed after it:

Wann möchtest du dieses Buch lesen? – When would you like to read this book?

In passive sentences, modal verbs are used according to general rules.

Infinitive Passive:

operiert werden, angeklagt werden, zerstört werden.

How to perform exercises on modal verbs

Most often, modern educational systems offer tests as tasks to test knowledge. They are convenient because... quickly executed and verified. If you have successfully completed several tests on the use of modal verbs, it is recommended to try yourself in a regular exercise where you need to put the verb into the correct form. This way you will consolidate the acquired knowledge well and will feel free to write sentences with modal verbs.

The meaning of modal verbs. Modal are called such verbs that express not the action itself, but only attitude to action(Wed.: We we want study well. We Can study well. We must study well). Therefore, modal verbs in German are usually not used independently, i.e. without a second verb, which expresses the desired, possible or necessary action itself. This second verb always answers the question “what to do?” and stands in the infinitive, as in Russian ( Wed.: We want - what to do? - study well). Basic modal verbs in German: können(to be able), mussen(should) wollen(want). They are very common, without them it is often impossible to express a thought.

In Russian, opportunity, necessity, and desire can be expressed in two ways:

Possibility 1. We Can. = 2. Us Can.

Obligation 1. We must. = 2. Us need (must).

Desire 1. We we want. = 2. Us I want to.

In German, only the first method is used.

Wed:
They can(can) ( they can) work in the laboratory. Sie können im Labor arbeiten.

Except können, müssen, wollen modal verbs are also often used sollen And durfen.

Verb sollen close in value to mussen.

Wed.:
You want (you want) to visit the museum. Sie wollen das Museum be suchen.
Wir müssen (Wir sollen) jetzt viel arbeiten. We must (forced, we have to), we must (obliged, we should) work hard now.

Verb durfen close in value to können:

Wir können (Wir dürfen) dieses Buch in der Bibliothek bekommen. We can (=have the opportunity)
We can (=have the right, permission) to get this book from the library.

In most cases the differences in meaning between mussen And sollen(to be forced and to be obliged), between können And durfen(to have the opportunity and to have permission) are not very significant, they can be ignored and only the verbs können (to be able) and müssen (to have to) can be used in speech.

Task 1. Indicate which modal verbs should be used to say in German:

1. We need to finish work tomorrow. 2. Who should make a presentation at the seminar? 3. I want to take the exam in December. 4. Misha wants to play sports. 5. You can borrow foreign journals from the department or the library. 6. We can work in the reading room until seven o’clock in the evening.

Conjugation of modal verbs in the present

In present, all modal verbs have special singular forms (plural forms are formed according to the general rule):

As can be seen from the table, the peculiarity of their conjugation is that they do not have personal endings in the 1st and 3rd person singular. numbers (these forms are the same), and also all (except sollen) change the root vowel into singular. number (these forms need to be remembered).

Task 2. Indicate which forms of the modal verbs given in brackets should be used instead of gaps in the following sentences:

1…. er den Text ohne Wörterbuch übersetzen? (können) 2. Ich... heute meinen kranken Freund besuchen. (wollen) 3. Welches Thema... du zum Seminar vorbereiten? (sollen) 4. Mein Freund… seinen Eltern helfen. (mussen)

Word order in a sentence with a modal verb

As can be seen from the examples above, in a German sentence the modal verb takes the place of the predicate (i.e. 2nd or 1st), and the verb in the infinitive, expressing the action itself, is used (unlike the Russian language) not immediately after the modal , but at the very end of the sentence.

The negation nicht with modal verbs (unlike all others) can be used immediately after the modal verb (but can also be used before the infinitive).

Task 3. Indicate in what order the German words should be used to say:

1. Tomorrow I want to visit my school friend. besuchen; morgen; will; meinen Schulfreund; ich.
2. When do you need to write a test? die Kontrollarbeit; wann; musst; schreiben; du?
3. Can you help me with German? du; in Germany; kannst; helfen; mir?
4. She can have good grades in all subjects. gute Noten; kann; haben; sie; in Allen Fachern.
5. Today we cannot work in the reading room. wir; im Lesesaal; arbeiten; heute; nicht; können.
6. He should be at home in the evening. er; muss; zu Hause; sein; am Abend.
7. I can't read English. ich; kann, nicht; Englisch; lesen.

Man with modal verbs müssen and können

When they want to say that some action must or can be performed, without indicating who exactly, they use the combination of man with modal verbs:

necessary, necessary - man muss (man soll)
you can - man kann (man darf)

You need to read a lot. (not specified to whom) Man muss viel lesen.
He needs to read a lot. (person indicated) Er muss viel lesen.
Can I finish my work today? (not specified to whom) Kann man die Arbeit heute beenden?
Can I finish my work today? (person indicated) Kann ich die Arbeit heute beenden?

As can be seen from these examples, man and the modal verb change places so that the modal verb always ends up in the place of the predicate, that is, in 2nd or 1st place.

If they want to say that this or that action is not necessary or cannot be performed, then they add the negation nicht:

not necessary, not necessary - man muss (soll) nicht impossible - man kann (darf) nicht

For example:

You don't need to finish work today. Man muss nicht die Arbeit heute beenden.
You can't work in peace here. Hier kann man nicht ruhig arbeiten.

Task 4. Indicate which of the following sentences should be translated using the combination man muss or man kann:

1. He needs to prepare a report. 2. I can go home for three days. 3. Special literature should be read without a dictionary. 4. Can I take books home from the reading room? 5. Can I come to you in the evening?

Video on the topic “Modal verbs in German”:

Modal verbs are verbs with the meaning of desire, possibility, ability, obligation:

• wollen - want
• können - be able to, be able to
• mussen - to be due, must
• sollen - to be due, must
• durfen -
• mögen -

These verbs are conjugated in a special way:

Some verbs have a single and completely understandable meaning - cf. wollen - want, können - be able, others seem to duplicate each other - cf. mussen - to be due, must and sollen - to be due, must, and still others generally have a whole range of meanings - cf. durfen - be able, have permission, dare, mögen - want, desire; be able; love, like. Let us explain all these meanings.

Verb wollen used in ordinary expressions of will:

• Ich will schlafen. - I want to sleep.
• Willst du nach Berlin fahren? - Do you want to go to Berlin?

In addition, this verb is involved in the formation of the imperative 1st l. plural "wollen wir" - Let's(do not confuse this form with wir wollen - we want):

• Wollen wir eine Pause machen! - Let's take a break!
• Wollen wir tanzen! - Let's Dance!

The verb wollen denotes desire and will in general. And how to express a wish in a polite form, see below (verb mögen).

The phrases “I’m hungry” and “I’m thirsty” in German are not associated with a verb of will, but with indications of hunger or thirst. Wed:

• Ich habe Hunger. - I want to eat.
• Ich habe Durst. - I'm thirsty.

Verb können means opportunity, ability, ability:

• Sie können mit dem Bus fahren. - You can go by bus.
• Ich kann gut schwimmen. - I can swim well/I am a good swimmer.

With language designations, the verb können can be used without another verb:

• Ich kann Russisch und Englisch. - I speak Russian and English.
• Ich kann ein wenig Deutsch. - I speak German a little bit.

The verbs müssen and sollen have the same basic meaning - to be due, must. But the shades of meaning of these verbs are completely different. Mussen means necessity as a result of internal conviction or objective circumstances (cf. the English verb must):

• Ich muss gehen. - I have to go.
• Alle Schüler müssen Hausaufgaben machen. - All schoolchildren must do their homework.

Sollen means necessity as a consequence of some considerations, rules, etc. and expresses a recommendation (cf. the English verb should). This verb is translated into Russian by the impersonal phrase “should”:

• Sie sollen weniger essen. - You should eat less.
• Soll ich meinen Pass zeigen? - Do I need to show my passport?

It is clear that I have no internal need to show my passport, and the need in this case is related to some circumstances or considerations. Compare two examples:

• Christa muss viel arbeiten. - Krista has to work hard.
• Christa soll viel arbeiten. - Krista should work hard.

The first example means that Christe have to work hard, second - what does she care? should to work a lot. You need to pay special attention to the difference between the verbs müssen and sollen in everyday life, since sollen is used in a number of familiar situations:

• Sie sollen nach rechts gehen. - You need to go right.
• Soll ich gleich bezahlen? - Should I pay right away?
• Wo soll ich den Schlüssel lassen? - Where should I leave the key?

The same pair as the verbs müssen and sollen, only in relation to possibility, is formed by the verbs können and dürfen. Verb können means the possibility as a result of free self-determination:

• Ich kann dieses Buch kaufen. - I can buy this book.
• Sie kann Tennis spielen. - She knows how to play tennis.

Verb durfen means possibility as a result of permission, permission:

• Darf ich fragen? - Can I ask?
• Wir dürfen diese Bücher nehmen. - We can borrow these books.

In various everyday matters, dürfen is used:

• Darf ich hinaus? - May go out?
• Darf ich gehen? - Can I go?

And it is no coincidence that on the packaging of low-calorie margarine, etc. For those who like to monitor their weight it is written:

• Du darfst! - You can!

Verb mögen- perhaps the most peculiar of all modal verbs. Firstly, in the present tense it means “to love, like”, etc.:

• Ich mag Fisch. - I like fish.
• Magst du Schwarzbrot? - Do you like black bread?

Secondly, this verb is mostly used in the subjunctive mood of the past tense (preterite) and then means a wish expressed in a polite form:

• Ich möchte diese Jacke kaufen. - I would like to buy this jacket.
• Möchten Sie weiter gehen oder bleiben wir hier? - Would you like to go further, or will we stay here?

The verb mögen in the past subjunctive mood is conjugated as follows:

When expressing any wishes in everyday life, the phrase “ich möchte” actually replaced the direct expression of will “ich will”. So if you want to buy something, watch something, etc., say “ich möchte” - and you can’t go wrong! But how can we say: “to want means to be able”? Very simply: Wer will, der kann!

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