Language/German/Grammar/Talking-About-Obligations

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German → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Modal Verbs → Talking About Obligations

Introduction

In this lesson, we will learn how to talk about obligations and responsibilities using modal verbs in German. Modal verbs are an important part of German grammar and are used to express various meanings such as ability, possibility, necessity, and obligation. Talking about obligations is essential in daily life, as it allows us to communicate our duties and responsibilities. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use modal verbs to express obligations and understand how to form sentences in German. Let's get started!

Modal Verbs for Expressing Obligations

In German, there are three main modal verbs that are commonly used to express obligations. These modal verbs are:

• "müssen" - to have to, must
• "sollen" - to should, ought to
• "dürfen" - to be allowed to, may

Each of these modal verbs has its own specific meaning and usage when it comes to obligations. Let's take a closer look at each one.

"Müssen" - to have to, must

The modal verb "müssen" is used to express a strong obligation or necessity. It indicates that someone is required to do something or that something is unavoidable. Here are some examples:

German	Pronunciation	English
Ich muss zur Arbeit gehen.	[ɪç mʊs t͡suːɐ̯ aʁˈbaɪ̯t ˈɡeːən]	I have to go to work.
Du musst dein Zimmer aufräumen.	[du mʊst daɪ̯n ˈtsɪmɐ ˈaʊ̯fˌʁɔɪ̯mən]	You have to clean up your room.
Wir müssen pünktlich sein.	[vɪɐ̯ ˈmʏsn̩ ˈpʏŋktlɪç zaɪ̯n]	We have to be on time.
Sie müssen Deutsch lernen.	[ziː ˈmʏsn̩ ˈdɔʏ̯t͡ʃ ˈleːʁnən]	They have to learn German.

"Sollen" - to should, ought to

The modal verb "sollen" is used to express a recommendation or advice. It indicates that someone is expected or supposed to do something. Here are some examples:

German	Pronunciation	English
Du solltest mehr Sport treiben.	[du ˈzɔlˌstɛst meːɐ ʃpɔʁt ˈtʁaɪ̯bən]	You should do more sports.
Wir sollten rechtzeitig losgehen.	[vɪɐ̯ ˈzɔltn̩ ˈʁaɪ̯çtɪç loːsˈɡeːən]	We should leave on time.
Sie sollten öfter Gemüse essen.	[ziː ˈzɔltn̩ ˈœftɐ ɡəˈmyːzə ˈɛsn̩]	They should eat more vegetables.

"Dürfen" - to be allowed to, may

The modal verb "dürfen" is used to express permission or the lack of permission. It indicates that someone is allowed or not allowed to do something. Here are some examples:

German	Pronunciation	English
Ich darf nicht fernsehen.	[ɪç dɑʁf nɪçt ˈfɛʁnˌzeːən]	I'm not allowed to watch TV.
Du darfst das Buch behalten.	[du ˈdaʁfst das buːx bəˈhaːltən]	You may keep the book.
Wir dürfen hier nicht rauchen.	[vɪɐ̯ ˈdʏʁfn̩ hiːɐ̯ nɪçt ˈʁaʊ̯çən]	We are not allowed to smoke here.
Sie dürfen den Raum betreten.	[ziː ˈdʏʁfn̩ deːn ˈʁaʊ̯m bəˈtʁeːtn̩]	They may enter the room.

Forming Sentences with Modal Verbs

To form sentences with modal verbs, we need to understand the basic sentence structure in German. The basic word order in a German sentence is as follows:

Subject + Modal Verb + Infinitive Verb + Rest of the Sentence

Here are some examples using the modal verb "müssen":

• Ich muss gehen. (I have to go.)
• Du musst lernen. (You have to learn.)
• Wir müssen arbeiten. (We have to work.)
• Sie müssen Deutsch sprechen. (They have to speak German.)

And here are some examples using the modal verb "sollen":

• Du solltest kommen. (You should come.)
• Wir sollten helfen. (We should help.)
• Sie sollten pünktlich sein. (They should be on time.)

Lastly, here are some examples using the modal verb "dürfen":

• Ich darf spielen. (I'm allowed to play.)
• Du darfst essen. (You may eat.)
• Wir dürfen trinken. (We are allowed to drink.)
• Sie dürfen nicht rauchen. (They are not allowed to smoke.)

Remember to conjugate the modal verb according to the subject of the sentence. The infinitive verb that follows the modal verb remains in its base form.

Talking About Obligations in Different Situations

Now that we know how to use modal verbs to talk about obligations, let's explore different situations where these expressions are commonly used.

School and Education

When it comes to school and education, talking about obligations is quite common. Here are some examples:

• Ich muss meine Hausaufgaben machen. (I have to do my homework.)
• Du musst zur Schule gehen. (You have to go to school.)
• Wir müssen lernen für die Prüfung. (We have to study for the exam.)
• Sie müssen ihre Bücher mitbringen. (They have to bring their books.)

Work and Professions

In the workplace, obligations and responsibilities are an important part of daily life. Here are some examples:

• Ich muss pünktlich zur Arbeit kommen. (I have to come to work on time.)
• Du musst den Bericht fertigstellen. (You have to finish the report.)
• Wir müssen uns an den Dresscode halten. (We have to adhere to the dress code.)
• Sie müssen Kunden betreuen. (They have to take care of customers.)

Household Chores

Talking about obligations at home is also common, especially when it comes to household chores. Here are some examples:

• Ich muss den Müll rausbringen. (I have to take out the trash.)
• Du musst das Geschirr abwaschen. (You have to wash the dishes.)
• Wir müssen staubsaugen. (We have to vacuum.)
• Sie müssen die Wäsche bügeln. (They have to iron the laundry.)

Social Etiquette

In social situations, there are often expectations and obligations that need to be fulfilled. Here are some examples:

• Du solltest höflich sein. (You should be polite.)
• Wir sollten uns bedanken. (We should thank each other.)
• Sie sollten pünktlich erscheinen. (They should arrive on time.)

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have learned how to talk about obligations and responsibilities using modal verbs in German. We explored the modal verbs "müssen" (to have to, must), "sollen" (to should, ought to), and "dürfen" (to be allowed to, may), and discussed their specific meanings and usage. We also learned how to form sentences with modal verbs and practiced using them in different situations. Congratulations on completing this lesson! Keep practicing and soon you will be able to express obligations and responsibilities with ease in German. Viel Erfolg! (Good luck!)

Table of Contents - German Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Sentence Structures

• Subject and Verb
• Noun and Gender

  ---

Greetings and Introduction

• Greetings and Goodbyes
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Definite and Indefinite Articles

• Gender and Articles
• Plural Forms
• Cases: Nominative and Accusative

  ---

Numbers, Dates and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Days of the Week and Months
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Conjugation

• Verb Forms
• Present Tense
• Separable Verbs

  ---

Family and Friends

• Family Members
• Talking About Your Friends

  ---

Prepositions

• Using Prepositions
• Two-Way Prepositions

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Food and Meals
• Drinks and Beverages

  ---

Germany and German-Speaking Countries

• Geography and Landmarks
• Cuisine and Traditions

  ---

Pronouns and Possessives

• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Booking a Trip
• Public Transportation

  ---

Modal Verbs

• Expressing Abilities
• Talking About Obligations

  ---

Shopping and Clothes

• Shopping for Clothes
• Buying Groceries

  ---

Music and Entertainment

• Popular Musicians and Genres
• Movies, TV and Literature

  ---

Adjectives

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative Forms

  ---

Health and Body

• Talking About Health
• Body Parts

  ---

Time and Temporal Prepositions

• Using Time Expressions
• Temporal Prepositions

Sources

• German Grammar: Modal Verbs for Talking About Obligations
• German Translation of “obligation” | Collins English-German Dictionary

Other Lessons

• Two Way Prepositions
• Inflections of adjectives
• Give your Opinion
• Cases: Nominative and Accusative
• Definite Articles in German
• Possessive Case in German
• Common Mistakes
• Plural Forms
• How to Use be
• Prepositions

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