Language/Danish/Grammar/Modal-Verbs

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Danish → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Modal Verbs

Introduction

In this lesson, we will dive into the use and conjugation of Danish modal verbs. Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express modality, such as possibility, necessity, and ability. They play an important role in Danish grammar and are essential for effective communication in Danish. By the end of this lesson, you will have a strong understanding of Danish modal verbs and how to use them in context.

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: The Dative Case in Danish & Interrogative words in Danish.

Modal Verbs

Danish has six main modal verbs: "kan" (can), "skal" (must), "vil" (want), "må" (may), "bør" (should), and "plejer" (usually). Let us take a closer look at each of them.

Kan (Can)

"Kan" is used to express ability, possibility, or permission. It can be used with any verb to express the ability to perform an action or to ask whether someone is able to do something.

Examples:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
Jeg kan tale dansk.	[jai kan ta:lə dænsk]	I can speak Danish.
Kan du svømme?	[kan du svømə]	Can you swim?
Kan I hjælpe mig?	[kan i hjælpə mæj]	Can you help me?

As you can see in the examples above, "kan" is conjugated according to the subject of the sentence, while the main verb is always in its infinitive form.

Skal (Must)

"Skal" is used to express obligation, necessity, or future events. It can be used with any verb to express that someone has to do something, needs to do something or will do something in the future.

Examples:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
Jeg skal arbejde i morgen.	[jai skal ærbajdə i mo:rɛn]	I must work tomorrow.
Du skal tage din medicin.	[du skal ta:jə di:n mɛdəsi:n]	You must take your medicine.
Skal vi mødes i aften?	[skal vi møðəs i af:tn]	Shall we meet tonight?

As with "kan," "skal" is also conjugated according to the subject of the sentence, while the main verb is always in its infinitive form.

Vil (Want)

"Vil" is used to express desire, intention or preference. It can be used with any verb to express that someone wants to do something or to ask if someone wants to do something.

Examples:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
Jeg vil se en film.	[jai vil se en film]	I want to watch a movie.
Vil du have noget at drikke?	[vil du havə no:jət at drikə]	Would you like something to drink?
Vil han studere medicin?	[vil han studərə mɛdəsi:n]	Does he want to study medicine?

As you can see, "vil" is also conjugated according to the subject of the sentence, while the main verb is always in its infinitive form.

Må (May)

"Må" is used to express permission to do something or ask for permission to do something.

Examples:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
Må jeg låne din bil?	[mo: jai lɔnə di:n bil]	May I borrow your car?
Må vi gå nu?	[mo: vi go: nu]	May we go now?
Du må godt spise chokolade.	[du mo:jære spisə kɔkuladə]	You may eat chocolate.

Once again, "må" is also conjugated according to the subject of the sentence, while the main verb is always in its infinitive form.

Bør (Should)

"Bør" is used to express advice, recommendation, or necessity.

Examples:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
Du bør gå til lægen.	[du bœr go: til læjn]	You should go to the doctor.
Vi bør være mere opmærksomme.	[vi bœr væ:rə me:rə ɔpmerksɔmə]	We should be more attentive.
Bør jeg tage en jakke på?	[bœr jai ta:jə ən jakə på]	Should I put on a jacket?

Like the previous modal verbs, "bør" is conjugated according to the subject of the sentence, while the main verb is always in its infinitive form.

Plejer (Usually)

"Plejer" is used to express habitual behavior or regular actions.

Examples:

Danish	Pronunciation	English
Jeg plejer at træne om morgenen.	[jai plɶjər ad trænə om mo:rjənən]	I usually exercise in the morning.
De plejer at spille computer efter skole.	[də plɶjər ad spilə komputər ɛftər skʌlə]	They usually play computer after school.
Vi plejer at fejre jul med familien.	[vi plɶjər ad fe:j:rə jul mɛð familjən]	We usually celebrate Christmas with the family.

As with the other modal verbs, "plejer" is conjugated according to the subject of the sentence, while the main verb is always in its infinitive form.

Conjugation of Modal Verbs

As previously stated, modal verbs are always followed by an infinitive verb. However, there are some changes to make to the conjugation of these modal verbs in different tenses. Here are some examples:

• Present tense: Jeg kan tale dansk. (I can speak Danish.)
• Past tense: Jeg kunne tale dansk. (I could speak Danish.)
• Future tense: Jeg vil tale dansk. (I want to speak Danish.)
• Present perfect tense: Jeg har kunnet tale dansk. (I have been able to speak Danish.)
• Imperative mood: Kan du hjælpe mig? (Can you help me?)

In the past tense, "kunne" is used instead of "kan" to express ability in the past. In the future tense, "vil" is used instead of "kan" to express the willingness to do something. In the present perfect tense, "har kunnet" is used to express the ability in the past up to the present moment. In the imperative mood, "kan" is used to ask for permission or ability.

Practice Exercises

To practice using modal verbs, here are some exercises for you to try.

Exercise 1

Complete the following sentences using the correct form of the modal verb in parentheses.

1. Jeg ________________ ride på hesten. (kunne)

2. De ________________ tage bussen. (skal)

3. Vil du ________________ komme med til festen? (vil)

4. Han ________________ godt spise sushi. (må)

5. Vi ________________ læse bogen. (bør)

6. De ________________ se film hver weekend. (plejer)

Exercise 2

Write your own sentences using the modal verbs "kan," "skal," "vil," "må," "bør," and "plejer."

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have explored the use and conjugation of Danish modal verbs. We have learned the six main modal verbs ("kan," "skal," "vil," "må," "bør," and "plejer") and how to conjugate them in different tenses. We have also covered their meanings and usage in different contexts. Remember to practice using them in everyday conversations to improve your Danish skills. Congratulations on completing this lesson!

Great work on completing this lesson! Take a moment to investigate these connected pages: Present Continuous in Danish & Give your Opinion.

Table of Contents - Danish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Danish Alphabet and Pronunciation

• Danish Alphabet
• Pronunciation Basics

  ---

Everyday Phrases and Greetings

• Greetings and Introductions
• Common Phrases

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure and Word Order

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Questions and Negations

  ---

Numbers, Dates, and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Days, Months, and Seasons
• Telling Time

  ---

Nouns and Articles

• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Plurals and Possessives

  ---

Family, Relationships, and Occupations

• Family Members
• Relationships
• Occupations

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Forms and Agreement
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food, Drinks, and Dining

• Food and Drinks
• Dining Out

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• Modal Verbs

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Vocabulary

  ---

Danish Culture and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Danish Customs and Etiquette

Other Lessons

• Regular Verbs
• Prepositions
• Pronouns
• How to use “to be” with names and places
• The Locative Case in Danish
• The Dative Case in Danish
• Give your Opinion
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Present Continuous in Danish
• How to Use Have

Sources

• Danish Modal Verbs with Audio - ielanguages.com
• Danish grammar - Wikipedia
• Danish | Duolingo Tips and Notes Wiki | Fandom

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