| 19.3.1.2 Conjunctive of modal verbs |
Most of the modal verbs are irregular. In the chapter past tenses we have already seen some remarks about modal verbs. More in detail we'll discuss them in chapter modal verbs. Modal verbs are those verbs that don't actually express an activity in itself but give an additional quality to the main verbs.
| She must
buy shoes. She can buy shoes. She shall buy shoes. She may buy shoes. |
Let's have a look at the conjunctive I of modal verbs. In English we'll notice that actually with the modal verbs the conjunctive does not work with would as a modal - which is actually logical that you two modals are not to be used in one construction. Therefore the modal itself is put into imperfect.
| dürfen * | ||
| present | conjunctive I | English |
| ich darf | ich dürfe | I may |
| du darfst | du dürfest | you may |
| er / sie / es darf | er / sie / es dürfe | he / she / it may |
| wir dürfen | wir dürfen | we may |
| ihr dürft | ihr dürfet | you may |
| sie dürfen | sie dürfen | they may |
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| können * | ||
| present | conjunctive I | English |
| ich kann | ich könne | I can |
| du kannst | du könnest | you can |
| er / sie / es kann | er / sie / es könne | he / she / it can |
| wir können | wir können | we can |
| ihr könnt | ihr könnet | you can |
| sie können | sie können | they can |
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* only the modal müssen in the form of "to have to" is put into conjunctive with would (he would have to) because there is no distinctive form of to must to recognise the conjunctive (or better the imperfect).
| müssen | |||
| present | conjunctive I | English | |
| ich muss | ich müsse | I | have to |
| du musst | du müssest | you | |
| er / sie / es muss | er / sie / es müsse | he / she / it | |
| wir müssen | wir müssen | we | |
| ihr müsst | ihr müsset | you | |
| sie müssen | sie müssen | they | |
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| sollen | |||
| present | conjunctive I | English | |
| ich soll | ich solle | I shall | |
| du sollst | du sollest | you shall | |
| er / sie / es soll | er / sie / es solle | he / she / it shall | |
| wir sollen | wir sollen | we shall | |
| ihr sollt | ihr sollet | you shall | |
| sie sollen | sie sollen | they shall | |
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