Modal Verbs in German

This video is an introduction to modal verbs in German. It covers the concept of a modal verb, the sense of the five most important German modal verbs, the conjugation of these modal verbs and associated word order rules. It contains a worked example of the correct word order, as well as example sentences for each modal verb presented.

[@violetagutierrez-therre7319]

As a foreign language teacher myself, I would like to congratulate you on your videos. so well explained!

[@stonedcrow5821]

Very well explained. Clear and concise. Thanks.

[@mugridgelanguage]

Glad it was helpful! No worries.

[@drollette08]

I can't believe a person dislike this video. This video is very well explained 👏

[@mugridgelanguage]

Thanks!

[@nothing2.046]

I am just here to thank you and tell you, your videos are awesome. I have been learning so much with them, I hope you keep uploading things like this. Thank you man

[@mugridgelanguage]

Thanks, Michael. I appreciate the comment. I'm a bit pressed for time because of work but I will continue to upload more videos when I have the opportunity.

[@ra1nyt]

me before i opened this vid: *panic bc i have a german quiz* me after i finished the vid: *calm bc i get it*

[@mugridgelanguage]

Good to hear! Glad I could help out with your German.

[@1memo1717]

I must say your videos are very interesting and important at the same time. Thank you

[@wisstigresse4840]

This is the best video about Modalverbs! Thank you Sir for your help 🙏

[@mugridgelanguage]

You're most welcome!

[@anandpandey5445]

Thanks for sharing the video, it's really helpful!!

[@robmoody3827]

Clear and easy to follow video. Thanks.

[@AS004-xf4jc]

Ihr Unterrichtsstil ist so perfekt. Danke

[@fancykemboi5804]

Amazing videos!! Easy to understand, bravo!!

[@mugridgelanguage]

Thanks! I hope they’re helpful!

[@SonicIsNo.1]

You teach better then my German teacher back there (in green hills) Thanks!

[@army_girl7627]

💜✨Thank you so much Sir✨💜

[@monicakazi4864]

Thank you very much master

[@mugridgelanguage]

No worries, Monica. Glad to help out!

[@ericyoutube77]

You just got a new sub, yours video are awesome

[@anniegracevj2144]

Very helpful.. Thank you so much 🙏🏻🙏🏻😊

[@mugridgelanguage]

My pleasure 😊

[@anamshehzadi8500]

Superb teacher. Great observation. You r lit

[@mugridgelanguage]

Thank you for the encouragement, Anam.

[@pasang9656]

I am through the 4th week of German language course bug only after watching this video, I understood what is modal verb.

[@mugridgelanguage]

Glad to hear!

[@kuldeepgupta3719]

Very well explained 👍

[@mugridgelanguage]

Thank you 🙂

[@chandra7815]

Thank you 🙏

[@mugridgelanguage]

You’re welcome 😊

[@sheepleslayer586]

another good topic. Danke.

[@mugridgelanguage]

Bitte!

[@aishasagir6433]

Best teaching

[@kimberlynorton]

These videos are soooo good. Where is this guy?

[@mugridgelanguage]

Thanks for the encouragement, Kimberly! I'm a high school teacher in Australia.

[@arnavg3070]

Thanks 👍

[@mugridgelanguage]

No worries!

[@Zippy_K]

Thankyou☺☺☺☺

[@HenryLoenwind]

The "Australia" example sentence doesn't really work, as it uses the English meaning of "to go". Unless it was meant to be about walking to Australia...? ;) The German "gehen" can have this general "change where you are" meaning, but it is quite limited in what kinds of phrases that works. Also; no warning about how negation negates the modal verb in German? That's kinda important, I'd say.

[@markjaygliponeo1310]

Crystal, more❤️🤗

[@admissionuniversity5753]

Valen dank

[@mugridgelanguage]

Keine Ursache!

[@jakobmorningstar]

When I translate the sentence “you should play basketball on Saturday” I translates to “Du solltest am Samstag Basketball spielen” why is it “solltest” and not “sollst”??

[@mugridgelanguage]

Great question! The basic answer is that the present tense is technically “sollst” but often the simple past tense form “solltest” is used (just for this verb) with practically the same meaning but with a bit more emphasis on it being a good idea rather than it being obligatory.

[@donvish77]

Awesome wunderbar toll prima

[@mugridgelanguage]

Danke sehr!

[@fahimehziaoleslami7531]

Danke schon .🌺❤

[@mugridgelanguage]

Bitte schön!

[@friendlyeagle2434]

Thanks for this its abig for me

[@mugridgelanguage]

No worries, Trisha. Glad to help out!

[@yigitcan824]

Hallo Ich lerne Deutsch mit dir und brauche deine Hilfe. I wonder if I can say 'Wir können am Samstag Fußball spielen.' I mean, we put the adverb here after können, don't we? Would it be possible for you to clear up my confusion about that? You'd be doing me a huge favour. Herzliche Grüße.

[@mugridgelanguage]

Hi! Yes - absolutely. The adverb can go either after the verb like you have outlined, or it can go at the start of the sentence, in which case you would swap it with the pronoun (i.e. "Am Samstag können wir Fußball spielen"). So there is some flexibility, but usually you would put it after the verb.

[@hysem77]

❤

[@schmidtlach]

Wow❤

[@intellicast7777]

Velen danke!

[@mugridgelanguage]

Gern geschehen!

[@Jane_1994]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@mumandbabymalayalam]

❤❤❤from kerala

[@oscarivanquintero2641]

Thanks so much

[@mugridgelanguage]

No worries, Ivan!

[@yoshibeast4596]

I love ur vids. Please sign my football boot

[@adamgill6266]

yeh the muggers

[@furzkram]

Du darfst noch nicht allein(e) ins Kino gehen. We don't say "ins Kino allein(e) gehen". Word order! Similar: ... alleine / bei Nacht / im Dunkeln / ohne Begleitung / ...

[@qasemtv1737]

Wir mussen kussen uben!

[@11998956]

Where is mögen?

[@mugridgelanguage]

Good question! I don’t include it among the five most common modal verbs because it is not used with second verbs in the same way as the others. So to avoid confusion I teach it when I teach ‘gern’. Check out my video on how to say that you like something.

[@11998956]

@@mugridgelanguage ok thank you. It's just that mag and möchte come up quite a lot in conversational German and also examinations. Thanks again!

[@Acts2verse21]

@@11998956 No worries! Yes, I agree, they are both very common and also follow the conjugation pattern, so it’s probably worth learning them at the same time!