German Modal Verbs: können, müssen, wollen and the Rest
The six German modal verbs, what each really means, how they push the second verb to the end, and the polite forms that make you sound like a local.
Modal verbs are the fastest upgrade available to a beginner. They let you express ability, obligation, desire and permission — and they make your German instantly more polite and more natural.
The six modals
können — can
Ability or possibility. Ich kann schwimmen.
müssen — must
Necessity. Ich muss arbeiten.
wollen — want
Strong intention. Ich will nach Berlin fahren.
dürfen — may
Permission. Darf ich hier rauchen?
sollen — should
Duty, or someone else's expectation. Ich soll mehr lernen.
mögen — to like
Preference. Ich mag Kaffee.
The strange conjugation (and why it is easy)
Modals break the normal pattern in exactly one way: ich and er/sie/es have the same form, with no ending.
| können | müssen | wollen | dürfen | sollen | mögen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | kann | muss | will | darf | soll | mag |
| du | kannst | musst | willst | darfst | sollst | magst |
| er/sie/es | kann | muss | will | darf | soll | mag |
| wir | können | müssen | wollen | dürfen | sollen | mögen |
| ihr | könnt | müsst | wollt | dürft | sollt | mögt |
| sie/Sie | können | müssen | wollen | dürfen | sollen | mögen |
Two shortcuts
Ich and er/sie/es are always identical, and the plural forms are just the infinitive. That means you only really learn three shapes per verb.
Where the second verb goes
The modal is conjugated in position two; the main verb goes to the end as an infinitive.
Never conjugate the second verb: not "ich will gehe".
The pairs learners confuse
🎯 wollen — I want
- Ich will einen Kaffee.
- Direct, sometimes blunt
- Fine with friends, harsh in a café
🙏 möchten — I would like
- Ich möchte einen Kaffee.
- Polite, the default in shops
- Technically Konjunktiv II of mögen
If you learn one thing from this article: order food with möchte, not will.
❗ müssen — necessity
- Ich muss arbeiten. (I have no choice)
- External or practical compulsion
📋 sollen — expectation
- Ich soll arbeiten. (someone says I should)
- Advice, instruction, or reported duty
The negation trap
This one genuinely changes meaning, and English speakers get it wrong constantly.
nicht müssen = don't have to
Du musst nicht kommen. — You are not obliged to come.
nicht dürfen = must not
Du darfst nicht kommen. — You are forbidden to come.
"Du musst nicht" is permission to skip it. "Du darfst nicht" is a prohibition. Mixing them up can be socially expensive.
In the past
Modals use Präteritum even in speech — just add -te to the stem and drop the umlaut: konnte, musste, wollte, durfte, sollte, mochte.
Ich konnte nicht kommen. — I couldn't come. This is far more common than any Perfekt form.
All six modals are in the free conjugation quiz, alongside 100+ other verbs.
Practise modal verbs →Frequently asked questions
What are the German modal verbs?
There are six: können (can), müssen (must), wollen (want), dürfen (may), sollen (should) and mögen (to like). The polite form möchten, meaning 'would like', comes from mögen.
What is the difference between wollen and möchten?
Wollen means 'want' and can sound blunt; möchten means 'would like' and is the polite standard, especially when ordering. In a café say Ich möchte einen Kaffee rather than Ich will einen Kaffee.
What is the difference between müssen and sollen?
Müssen expresses genuine necessity — Ich muss arbeiten means you have no choice. Sollen expresses someone else's expectation or advice — Ich soll mehr lernen means someone thinks you should.
Does nicht müssen mean must not in German?
No, and this is a common trap. Du musst nicht kommen means you do not have to come. To say 'must not', use dürfen: Du darfst nicht kommen means you are not allowed to come.
Where does the second verb go with a modal verb?
The modal verb is conjugated in second position and the main verb goes to the end of the sentence as an infinitive: Ich will heute ins Kino gehen.