German Modal Verbs - Conjugation of Duerfen Koennen Moegen

Tenses and Sample Sentences

Family swimming in lake
"wir haben schwimmen können" (We were able to swim.). Hauke Dressler / LOOK-foto / Getty Images
Updated March 07, 2017

See how to conjugate three German modal verbs - .dürfen, können, and mögen and how they are used in sample modal sentences and expressions.

For all modals with umlauts, the simple past (preteriteImperfekt) has no umlaut, but the subjunctive form always has an umlaut.

Modalverben - Modal Verbs

PRÄSENS
(Present)		PRÄTERITUM
(Preterite/Past)		PERFEKT
(Pres. Perfect)

Dürfen- be allowed/permitted, may

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 speak
ich 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:

Was darf es sein? May I help you? (store clerk)
Wenn ich bitten darf. If you please.

Können - be able, can

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:

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

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 swim
ich 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:

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.

Also see the 20 most-used German verbs. You may also wish to explore the conjugation of the other three German modal verbs, müssen, sollen, and wollen.