Modalverben

Modalverben sind: 

können: can, could / may/ might / to be able to

müssen: must, to be allowed to

sollen: shall, should, to be supposed to

nötig sein: need 

erlaubt sein: to be allowed to

nicht dürfen: mustn‘t, not to be allowed

1.

Modalverben drücken 

• Dinge aus, die möglich oder wahrscheinlich sind,
• Erlaubt oder verboten ... also

can, could, 

should, ought

may, might

to be supposed to

The sun rises every day. vs. The sun should be shining tomorrow.

• Notwendigkeiten, 
• Verpflichtungen, 
• Aufforderungen/
• Bitten und Ratschläge

need, needn‘t , must

should, ought to, supposed to, had better do sth.

can could, would

You needn‘t tell your brother about it

Mobile phones should be muted.

Would you be quiet, please?

• Erlaubnis oder Verbote oder Weigerungen bzw. Ablehnungen

can, could, may, mustn‘t

won‘t, would‘nt

At your age I couldn‘t go out after 8 o‘clock.

My parents won‘t let me spend my holidays with friends.

• Vorschläge

can/can‘t, shall, should/shouldn‘t 

Can we go to the cinema? Shall we have dinner first?

• Angebote

can, could, would, shall ...

What would you like to drink?

2. 

Die einfachen Modalverben (can, must) mit Ausnahme von need haben kein s in der 3. Person singular

He can play golf. Aber: He needs to do his homework.

aber

He is allowed to oder he is able to (normale 3. Pers. sing beim Hilfsverb.)

3. 

Fragen werden ohne do/does/did... gebildet (Ausnahme ist need, to have to)

Can he come? Aber: Does he need to do his homework?

4.

Bildung: Modalverb + Verb im Infinitiv, bei to need to, to be able to und to be allowed to         + ...

I can go home. I need to go home...

5.

Bei den meisten gibt es keine Vergangenheitsform: Ausnahmen: need/needed, can/could, will, would: 

must wird durch to have to ersetzt, can durch to be able to...

und keine Futurform: Ausnahme will, und need

We had to do our homework (für must). 

We will have to do our homework.

We needed/will need to do our homework.