What is it?
Modal verbs are verbs that express will, wish, determination etc. like: I really should go to work.
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| | | kunne | be able to | |
gram to be able to |
| | | burde | ought to | |
gram to do what is right |
| | | skulle | shall | |
gram duty / ordered to / future tense |
| | | turde | dare | |
gram courage |
| | | ville | will | |
gram to express will / future tense |
| | | måtte | may | |
gram necessity / to be allowed |
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The Examples
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Kunne |
| | | Kan du komme i morgen? | Can you come tomorrow? | |
to be able to |
| | | Kunne* jeg få den? | Could I have it? | |
to ask permission to do something |
Burde |
| | p | Jeg burde** gå i skole i morgen | I should go to school tomorrow | |
to do what is right |
Skulle |
| | | Du skal vaske op i aften | You are doing the dishes tonight | |
future tense |
| | | Du skal vaske op i aften | You have to do the dishes tonight | |
duty |
Turde |
| | | Jeg tør ikke gøre det | I don't dare do it / I'm afraid to do it | |
courage |
Ville |
| | | Jeg vil købe ind i morgen | I'll do the shopping tomorrow | |
future tense |
| | | Jeg vil ikke med | I don't want to come | |
expressing will |
Måtte |
| | | Må jeg godt få den? | Can I have that? / Am I allowed to have that? | |
to be allowed to |
| | p | Du må bare gøre det igen | You just have to do it again | |
necessity |
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* Kunne in past tense takes a different meaning. In this Subjunctive Mood you ask permission for something in a polite way, just as in English Could I have.... See more examples in Ordering Food.
**Notice the use of past tense in burde even though we're referring to the future. Read more about the Subjunctive Mood here.
Read more about the Future Tense here.