THE MODAL VERBS
(Die Hilfszeitwörter)
|
CAN - MAY - MUST |
|
NO
-s
after he,
she, it |
He can speak English.
She may go there. It must sleep now. |
|
NO do,
does
in
questions and
negation |
Can you come? Sorry, I cannot.
May he come to your party? No, he must not. She
can not come at 10. |
Note: As modal verbs dont have a past form (except can) and a past participle (3rd form) you can only use them with the present tense. When you use other tenses you have to replace them:
| Ersatzformen: |
can |
→ |
to be able to |
|
must |
→ |
have to |
|
|
may |
→ |
to be allowed to |
CAN TO BE ABLE TO
I can drive. = I am able to drive.
|
Present tense |
Past tense |
Present perfect |
Will - future |
|
|
I |
am able to drive. |
was able to drive. |
have been able to drive. |
will be able to drive. |
|
He, she, it |
is able to drive. |
was able to drive. |
has been able to drive. |
will be able to drive. |
|
You, we, they |
are able to drive. |
were able to drive. |
have been able to drive. |
will be able to drive. |
MUST HAVE TO
I must learn. = I have to learn.
|
Present tense |
Past tense |
Present perfect |
Will future |
|
|
I, you, we, they |
have to learn. |
had to learn. |
have had to learn. |
will have to learn. |
|
He, she, it |
has to learn. |
had to learn. |
has had to learn. |
will have to learn. |
MAY BE ALLOWED TO
I may go out I am allowed to go out
|
Present tense |
Past tense |
Present perfect |
Will future |
|
|
I |
am allowed to go out. |
was allowed to go out. |
have been allowed to go out. |
will be allowed to go out. |
|
he, she, it |
is allowed to go out. |
was allowed to go out. |
has been allowed to go out. |
will be allowed to go out. |
|
you, we, they |
are allowed to go out. |
were allowed to go out. |
have been allowed to go out. |
will be allowed to go out. |
| NOTE: |
I may |
Ich darf |
|
I must not |
Ich darf nicht |
|
|
I must |
Ich muss |
|
|
I need not |
Ich muss nicht |
|
|
|
|
|
EXERCISE 5 |
|
EXERCISE 6 |
|
