What is it?

Modal verbs are verbs that express will, wish, determination etc. like: I really should go to work.

			kunne	be able to	v inf … Infinitive Present Past Present Perfect kunne kan kunne har kunnet be able to can could has been able to gramto be able to
gram to be able to
			burde	ought to	v inf … Infinitive Present burde bør ought to should gramto do what is right
gram to do what is right
			skulle	shall	v inf gramduty / ordered to / future tense
gram duty / ordered to / future tense
			turde	dare	v inf gramcourage
gram courage
			ville	will	v inf gramto express will / future tense
gram to express will / future tense
			måtte	may	v inf gramnecessity / to be allowed
gram necessity / to be allowed

The Examples

Kunne
			Kan du komme i morgen?	Can you come tomorrow?	to be able to
to be able to
			Kunne* jeg få den?	Could I have it?	to ask permission to do something
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
to do what is right
Skulle
			Du skal vaske op i aften	You are doing the dishes tonight	future tense
future tense
			Du skal vaske op i aften	You have to do the dishes tonight	duty
duty
Turde
			Jeg tør ikke gøre det	I don't dare do it / I'm afraid to do it	courage
courage
Ville
			Jeg vil købe ind i morgen	I'll do the shopping tomorrow	future tense
future tense
			Jeg vil ikke med	I don't want to come	expressing will
expressing will
Måtte
			Må jeg godt få den?	Can I have that? / Am I allowed to have that?	to be allowed to
to be allowed to
		p	Du må bare gøre det igen	You just have to do it again	necessity
necessity

* 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.