Languages › German German Modal Verbs: Conjugation of 'Duerfen,' 'Koennen,' and 'Moegen' Tenses and Sample Sentences Share Flipboard Email Print Hauke Dressler / LOOK-foto / Getty Images German Vocabulary History & Culture Pronunciation & Conversation Grammar By Hyde Flippo German Expert Hyde Flippo taught the German language for 28 years at high school and college levels and published several books on the German language and culture. our editorial process Hyde Flippo Updated February 27, 2020 Conjugating the German modal verbs is an important part of learning the language. The tables below show how to conjugate three modal verbs, dürfen, können, and mögen, including examples of how they are used in sample modal sentences and expressions. There are actually six modal verbs in German: Dürfen> may, be permitted Können > can, be able Mögen > like Müssen > must, have to Sollen > should, ought to Wollen > want to Modals derive their name from the fact that they always modify another verb. Additionally, they are always used in tandem with the infinitive form of another verb, as in, Ich muss morgen nach Frankfurt fahren (ich muss + fahren), which translates as "I have to go to Frankfurt tomorrow." Conjugating the Modals The modal verbs in the table are presented in all of their tenses. For all modals with umlauts, the simple past (preteriteImperfekt) has no umlaut, but the subjunctive form always has this diacritical mark. Durfen - be allowed/permitted, may PRÄSENS (Present) PRÄTERITUM (Preterite/Past) PERFEKT (Pres. Perfect) ich darf I may (am permitted) ich durfte I was allowed ich habe gedurft * I was allowed du darfst you may du durftest you were allowed du hast gedurft * you were allowed er/sie darf he/she may er/sie durfte he/she was allowed er/sie hat gedurft * he/she was allowed wir/Sie/sie dürfen we/you/they may wir/Sie/sie durften we/you/they were allowed wir/Sie/sie haben gedurft * we/you/they were allowed ihr dürft you (pl.) may ihr durftet you (pl.) were allowed ihr habt gedurft * you (pl.) were allowed * In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples: ihr habt sprechen dürfen = you (pl.) were allowed to speakich hatte sprechen dürfen = I had been allowed to speak Sample Modal Sentences for Dürfen Present: Darf ich rauchen? May I smoke?Past/Preterite: Er durfte das nicht. He wasn't permitted to do that.Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Er hat dort nicht parken dürfen. He was not permitted to park there.Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Wir hatten das damals machen dürfen. We had been allowed to do that back then.Future/Futur: Wir werden das machen dürfen. We will be allowed to do that.Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Wenn ich dürfte... If I were permitted... Sample Idiomatic Expressions for Dürfen Was darf es sein? May I help you? (store clerk)Wenn ich bitten darf. If you please. Können–be able, can PRÄSENS (Present) PRÄTERITUM (Preterite/Past) PERFEKT (Pres. Perfect) ich kann I can, am able ich konnte I could ich habe gekonnt * I could du kannst you can du konntest you could du hast gekonnt * you could er/sie kann he/she can er/sie konnte he/she could er/sie hat gekonnt * he/she could wir/Sie/sie können we/you/they can wir/Sie/sie konnten we/you/they could wir/Sie/sie haben gekonnt * we/you/they could ihr könnt you (pl.) can ihr konntet you (pl.) could ihr habt gekonnt * you (pl.) could * In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples: Wir haben schwimmen können. = We were able to swim.Ich hatte schwimmen können. = I had been able to swim. Sample Modal Sentences for Können Present: Er kann gut fahren. He can drive well.Past/Preterite: Er konnte sie nicht leiden. He couldn't stand her.Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Er hat sie nicht leiden können. He couldn't stand her.Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Er hatte sie nicht leiden können. He had not been able to stand her.Future/Futur: Er wird sie nicht leiden können. He won't be able to stand her.Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Wenn ich ihn nur leiden könnte... If I could only stand him... Sample Idiomatic Expressions for Können Sie könnten sich irren. You could be mistaken.Das kann man wohl sagen. You can say that again.Er kann Deutsch. He knows German. ("can German")Er kann Sie jetzt sprechen. He can see you now. (doctor, dentist) Mögen - like, want, may PRÄSENS (Present) PRÄTERITUM (Preterite/Past) PERFEKT (Pres. Perfect) ich mag I like ich mochte I liked ich habe gemocht * I liked du magst you like du mochtest you liked du hast gemocht * you liked er/sie mag he/she likes er/sie mochte he/she liked er/sie hat gemocht * he/she liked wir/Sie/sie mögen we/you/they like wir/Sie/sie mochten we/you/they liked wir/Sie/sie haben gemocht * we/you/they liked ihr mögt you (pl.) like ihr mochtet you (pl.) could ihr habt gemocht * you (pl.) could * In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples: Wir haben schwimmen mögen. = We liked to swimIch hatte schwimmen mögen. = I had liked to swim mögen is often used in its subjunctive (möchte) "would like" form:Ich möchte lieber Kaffee (haben). = I would rather have coffee.Wir möchten ins Kino. = We'd like to go to the movies. Sample Modal Sentences for Mögen Present: Er mag die Suppe. He likes the soup.Past/Preterite: Er mochte die Stadt nicht. He didn't like the city.Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Er hat das Essen nicht gemocht. He didn't like the food.Future/Futur: Er wird das schon mögen. He'll like that.Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Ja, er möchte Wein. Yes, he'd like (some) wine.Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Ich möchte... I would like... Sample Idiomatic Expressions for Mögen: Das mag wohl sein. That well may be. / That may be so.Das mag der Himmel verhütten! Heaven forbid!Er mag/mochte etwa 1,3 Meter groß sein. He must be/must have been about 1.3 meters tall. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Flippo, Hyde. "German Modal Verbs: Conjugation of 'Duerfen,' 'Koennen,' and 'Moegen'." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/modal-verbs-conjugation-duerfen-koennen-moegen-4069875. Flippo, Hyde. (2020, August 27). German Modal Verbs: Conjugation of 'Duerfen,' 'Koennen,' and 'Moegen'. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/modal-verbs-conjugation-duerfen-koennen-moegen-4069875 Flippo, Hyde. 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