Improve your lifestyle: modal verbs 'müssen', 'dürfen', 'wollen' + infinitive
Learning outcomes
I can recognise how modal verbs are used to express what people want, must or can do, in positive and negative statements.
I can pronounce [ü].
- Year 7
Improve your lifestyle: modal verbs 'müssen', 'dürfen', 'wollen' + infinitive
Learning outcomes
I can recognise how modal verbs are used to express what people want, must or can do, in positive and negative statements.
I can pronounce [ü].
Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- [ü] is pronounced long as in 'Tür' or short as in 'fünf'.
- Modal verbs express ideas of necessity or possibility (must, can, want).
- Modal verbs are used with a 2nd verb in the infinitive, which goes to the end of the sentence (two-verb rule).
- Modal verbs include ‘müssen’ - to have to, must; ‘dürfen’ - to be allowed to, may; ‘wollen’ - to want to.
- Put 'nicht' before an infinitive ('Ich muss nicht singen') but forms of 'kein' before nouns ('Er will kein Buch lesen').
Keywords
[ü] - pronounced long as in 'Tür' or short as in 'fünf'
Modal verb - expresses ideas of necessity or possibility (must, can, want, allowed); used with a 2nd verb in the infinitive
Two-verb rule - position of the 2nd verb at the end of two-verb sentences, e.g., 'Ich will jetzt Obst essen.'
Nicht - 'not'
Keinen, keine, kein - 'not a'
Common misconception
The infinitive follows the conjugated verb, as in the English 'I can play'.
In German, the infinitive is placed at the end of a sentence when used with a modal verb, as in 'Ich kann spielen.'.
Equipment
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Lesson video
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