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Modal Auxiliaries

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs used to express modality, which includes possibility, necessity, ability, permission, and obligation.

Common modals: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would

French

Verbes modal - modal verbs

Obligation - obligation

Autorisation - permission

Capacité - ability

Pouvoir - to be able to/can/may

Voiloir - to want to

Devoir - to have to/must/should

Savoir - to know how to

Falloir - to be necessary

French does not have a distinct category for modal verbs but uses certain verbs to convey modality.

Pouvoir (can, may, to be able to)

Devoir (must, have to, should)

Falloir (to be necessary, must, need to)

German

Modalverb - modal verb

Verpflichtung - obligation

Erlaubnis - permission

Fähigkeit - ability

Können - to be able to/can

Müssen to have to/must

Wollen - to want to

Dürfen - to be allowed to/may

Sollen - should/supposed to

German has a clear set of modal verbs.

Können (can, to be able to)

Müssen (must, have to)

Dürfen (may, to be allowed to)

Sollen (should, ought to)

Spanish

Verbo modal - modal verb

Obligación - obligation

Permiso - permission

Capacidad - ability

Poder - to be able to/can

Deber - to have to/must/should

Querer - to want to

Saber - to know how to

Tener que - to have to

Spanish uses specific verbs to express modality.

Poder (can, may, to be able to)

Deber (must, should, ought to)

Haber de (ought to, supposed to)

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