A2 · Elementar Capítulo 10

Rules, Wishes, and Advice

4 Regras totais
43 exemplos
6 min
Regras neste capítulo Prática rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of expressing wishes, rules, and advice using German modal verbs.

  • Construct sentences using modal verbs without the particle 'zu'.
  • Express personal desires and plans using 'wollen'.
  • Navigate permissions and advice using 'dürfen' and 'sollen'.
Speak with purpose: express wishes, rules, and advice.

O que você vai aprender

Hey, ready to unlock some super useful German? You already know the basics, and now we're going to take your speaking skills up a notch! In this chapter, 'Rules, Wishes, and Advice,' you'll dive into the world of German modal verbs. Specifically, you'll master how to use *wollen*, *dürfen*, and *sollen* like a native speaker. Ever wanted to say

I really want to visit the Brandenburg Gate!
or
Can I sit here?
or
You should definitely try this currywurst!
? This chapter is your key! We'll show you the magic trick of dropping 'zu' after these modal verbs and how they always send the main action verb to the very end of the sentence – it's a pattern you'll quickly get the hang of. You'll learn how *wollen* helps you express your firmest plans and desires, even noticing its cool little vowel change in the singular form. Then, *dürfen* will empower you to talk about permissions and what's allowed (or strictly *nicht dürfen*, what's forbidden!), which is super handy when you're navigating new places or asking for something politely. Finally, *sollen* will become your go-to for giving friendly advice, recommendations, or gently relaying instructions from others without sounding bossy. By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to articulate your wishes, understand rules, and offer advice confidently, making your German conversations much more dynamic and natural!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use modal verbs to correctly place the infinitive verb at the end of a sentence.

Guia do capítulo

Overview

Hey there, amazing A2 German learner! Ready to supercharge your conversational skills? You've already built a solid foundation, and now it's time to unlock some truly powerful ways to express yourself in German.
This chapter,
Rules, Wishes, and Advice,
is your key to doing just that. We're diving deep into some incredibly useful German grammar A2 topics, focusing on three essential modal verbs: wollen, dürfen, and sollen.
These verbs are absolute game-changers because they let you talk about what you *want* to do, what you *are allowed* to do, and what you *should* do. Imagine being able to confidently say,
I want to visit the Brandenburg Gate!
or politely ask,
May I sit here?
or even offer a friendly recommendation like,
You should definitely try this Currywurst!
By mastering these verbs, your German will sound much more natural and dynamic, moving you closer to fluent communication. Understanding these common structures is a crucial step in your German language learning journey, making everyday interactions smoother and more effective.
You'll quickly get the hang of how these modal verbs work their magic on sentence structure, sending the main action verb to the very end. This pattern is a fundamental aspect of German sentence structure that you'll encounter again and again. So, let's get started and make your German more expressive and precise!

How This Grammar Works

At the heart of this chapter are three important modal verbs: wollen, dürfen, and sollen. Modal verbs in German are special because they always work with another verb, which expresses the main action. The coolest trick they perform is sending that main action verb (in its infinitive form) all the way to the end of the sentence.
Plus, there's a golden rule: you *never* use zu before the infinitive verb when a modal verb is present! This applies to all modal verbs, including können (to be able to), müssen (to have to), and mögen (to like), which you might have already encountered.
No 'zu' After Modal Verbs
This is a straightforward rule: when you use a modal verb, you simply drop zu before the second verb.
* ✗ Ich will zu essen. (I want to eat.)
* ✓ Ich will essen. (I want to eat.)
* ✗ Du sollst zu lernen. (You should learn.)
* ✓ Du sollst lernen. (You should learn.)
Wanting and Planning: The Verb 'wollen'
Wollen expresses a strong desire or a firm intention – what you *really* want to do. It's more direct than möchten (would like to). Pay attention to its singular conjugations, which have a vowel change:
* Ich will (I want)
* Du willst (You want)
* Er/Sie/Es will (He/She/It wants)
* Wir wollen (We want)
* Ihr wollt (You all want)
* Sie/sie wollen (They/You (formal) want)
* Example: Ich will nach Berlin fahren. (I want to drive to Berlin.)
* Example: Was wollt ihr heute Abend machen? (What do you all want to do tonight?)
The Modal Verb dürfen: Permissions & Rules
Dürfen is all about permission and what is allowed or forbidden. It’s perfect for asking politely or stating rules.
* Ich darf (I am allowed to)
* Du darfst (You are allowed to)
* Er/Sie/Es darf (He/She/It is allowed to)
* Wir dürfen (We are allowed to)
* Ihr dürft (You all are allowed to)
* Sie/sie dürfen (They/You (formal) are allowed to)
* Example: Darf ich hier sitzen? (May I sit here?)
* Example: Hier darf man nicht rauchen. (One is not allowed to smoke here.)
Giving Advice and Following Orders (sollen)
Sollen is used for giving advice, making recommendations, or relaying instructions or obligations from someone else (without necessarily being a strict command). It's softer than müssen (to have to).
* Ich soll (I should/am supposed to)
* Du sollst (You should/are supposed to)
* Er/Sie/Es soll (He/She/It should/is supposed to)
* Wir sollen (We should/are supposed to)
* Ihr sollt (You all should/are supposed to)
* Sie/sie sollen (They/You (formal) should/are supposed to)
* Example: Du sollst mehr Wasser trinken. (You should drink more water.)
* Example: Meine Mutter sagt, ich soll meine Hausaufgaben machen. (My mother says I should do my homework.)

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Ich will zu gehen.
✓ Ich will gehen. (I want to go.)
*Explanation:* Remember, modal verbs like wollen, dürfen, and sollen are special – they *never* take zu before the infinitive verb that follows them.
  1. 1✗ Du sollst das Buch lesen.
✓ Du sollst das Buch lesen. (You should read the book.)
*Explanation:* While the example sentence is grammatically correct as is, a common mistake is placing the main verb *before* the end of the sentence when there are other elements. For example:
✗ Ich will nach Hause gehen. (I want to go home.) - This is correct.
✗ Ich will gehen nach Hause. - This is incorrect.
✓ Ich will nach Hause gehen. (I want to go home.)
*Explanation:* The main verb (gehen) always goes to the very end of the sentence when used with a modal verb like wollen.
  1. 1✗ Er wolle in den Park gehen.
✓ Er will in den Park gehen. (He wants to go to the park.)
*Explanation:* Be careful with the irregular conjugations of wollen in the singular forms: ich will, du willst, er/sie/es will. The vowel changes from 'o' to 'i'.

Real Conversations

A

A

Was willst du am Wochenende machen? (What do you want to do on the weekend?)
B

B

Ich will meine Freunde treffen und ins Kino gehen. (I want to meet my friends and go to the cinema.)
A

A

Entschuldigen Sie, darf ich hier kurz mein Gepäck abstellen? (Excuse me, may I briefly put my luggage here?)
B

B

Ja, das dürfen Sie gern machen. (Yes, you may certainly do that.)
A

A

Ich habe Kopfschmerzen. (I have a headache.)
B

B

Du sollst einen Tee trinken und dich ausruhen. (You should drink a tea and rest.)

Quick FAQ

Q

How do German modal verbs affect sentence structure?

Modal verbs send the main action verb (in its infinitive form) to the very end of the sentence.

Q

What's the main difference between wollen and möchten for A2 German learners?

Wollen expresses a strong desire or firm intention (I want to), while möchten is a more polite and softer expression of desire (

I would like to
).

Q

Can dürfen be used for asking permission politely in German?

Yes, absolutely! Using dürfen is the standard and most polite way to ask for permission in German.

Q

When should I use sollen instead of müssen in German grammar?

Sollen is for advice, recommendations, or relaying someone else's request/instruction (you *should* do it). Müssen expresses a stronger, undeniable obligation or necessity (you *must* do it).

Cultural Context

In German-speaking cultures, these modal verbs are used constantly in daily life. Wollen is direct and expresses clear intent. While directness is common, dürfen provides a polite way to navigate social rules and ask for favors, which is appreciated.
Sollen is excellent for offering friendly advice without sounding demanding, which aligns with a general preference for clear, but not overly aggressive, communication.

Exemplos-chave (8)

1

Ich kann heute nicht kommen.

Eu não posso vir hoje.

Sem 'zu' após verbos modais (können, wollen, müssen)
2

Du musst die Hausaufgaben machen.

Você deve fazer a lição de casa.

Sem 'zu' após verbos modais (können, wollen, müssen)
3

Ich will heute Abend ins Kino gehen.

Quero ir ao cinema hoje à noite.

Querer e planejar: O verbo 'wollen'
4

Willst du mit mir einen Kaffee trinken?

Você quer tomar um café comigo?

Querer e planejar: O verbo 'wollen'
5

Darf ich dein Ladekabel benutzen?

Posso usar seu carregador?

O verbo modal dürfen: Permissões e regras (dürfen)
6

Darf man hier mit Karte zahlen?

Pode-se pagar com cartão aqui?

O verbo modal dürfen: Permissões e regras (dürfen)
7

Du sollst dieses neue Lied hören.

Você deveria ouvir esta nova música.

Dar conselhos e seguir ordens (sollen)
8

Ich soll dir von Sarah gratulieren.

Devo te dar os parabéns pela Sarah.

Dar conselhos e seguir ordens (sollen)

Dicas e truques (4)

⚠️

A Armadilha do Inglês

Não deixe o 'to' do inglês (want to, have to) te enganar e fazer você colocar um 'zu'. Os modais alemães são diretos, tipo: Ich will essen (Eu quero comer), não
Ich will zu essen
.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sem 'zu' após verbos modais (können, wollen, müssen)
⚠️

A Armadilha da 'Polidez'

Usar wollen num restaurante pode soar como se você estivesse dando ordens. Use sempre möchten ao pedir algo ao {der|m} Kellner, a menos que você queira o serviço especial do 'chef bravo'. Por exemplo,
Ich möchte einen Kaffee.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Querer e planejar: O verbo 'wollen'
🎯

O Teste da Permissão

Se está na dúvida entre 'können' e 'dürfen', se pergunte: 'Existe uma regra ou alguém me dando permissão?' Se a resposta for sim, use dürfen. Pense, por exemplo, se você pode fumar em algum lugar:
Darf ich hier rauchen?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O verbo modal dürfen: Permissões e regras (dürfen)
⚠️

O Final Fantasma

Muita gente adiciona um '-t' a 'er/sie/es soll', mas não faça isso! É sempre 'er soll'. Por exemplo, 'Ele deve estudar.' → Er soll studieren.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dar conselhos e seguir ordens (sollen)

Vocabulário-chave (6)

wollen to want dürfen to be allowed to sollen should/to be supposed to die Regel (f) the rule der Ratschlag (m) the piece of advice besuchen to visit

Real-World Preview

map-pin

At the Brandenburg Gate

Review Summary

  • Subject + Modal + ... + Infinitive
  • Ich will, du willst, er/sie/es will
  • Ich darf, du darfst, er/sie/es darf
  • Ich soll, du sollst, er/sie/es soll

Erros comuns

You added 'zu', but modal verbs act like magnets that pull the infinitive verb directly without 'zu'.

Wrong: Ich will zu essen.
Correto: Ich will essen.

The main verb 'essen' must go to the very end of the sentence.

Wrong: Ich will essen Pizza.
Correto: Ich will Pizza essen.

Check your conjugation! It is 'du sollst', not 'du sollt'.

Wrong: Du sollt gehen.
Correto: Du sollst gehen.

Next Steps

You have done an amazing job! Keep practicing these modals, and you will sound like a local in no time.

Write 5 sentences about your school or work rules.

Continue to: Looking Ahead and Connecting Ideas

Prática rápida (10)

Preencha a lacuna

Ich ___ heute ins Kino gehen.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: darf
O sujeito é 'Ich' (singular), então a vogal muda de 'ü' para 'a'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O verbo modal dürfen: Permissões e regras (dürfen)

Qual frase está correta?

Choose the grammatically correct question:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Darf ich mein Handy hier laden?
Em frases com verbos modais em alemão, o verbo principal (laden) deve ir para o final.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O verbo modal dürfen: Permissões e regras (dürfen)

Preencha a lacuna com a forma correta de 'wollen'.

Ich ____ am Wochenende nach Berlin fahren.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: will
Para a forma 'ich' (eu), a vogal muda de 'o' para 'i' e não há terminação. Então 'will' está correto.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Querer e planejar: O verbo 'wollen'

Encontre o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Er sollt seine Hausaufgaben machen.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Er soll seine Hausaufgaben machen.
A 3ª pessoa do singular (er/sie/es) de 'sollen' é 'soll'. NÃO leva a terminação '-t'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dar conselhos e seguir ordens (sollen)

Encontre e corrija o erro nesta frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ich muss heute zu arbeiten.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich muss heute arbeiten.
Verbos modais como 'müssen' nunca levam 'zu' antes do verbo principal.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sem 'zu' após verbos modais (können, wollen, müssen)

Qual frase está gramaticalmente correta?

Pick the right order for the verbs.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Du sollst heute Deutsch lernen.
O verbo modal 'sollst' fica na posição 2, e o infinitivo 'lernen' vai para o final.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dar conselhos e seguir ordens (sollen)

Preencha a lacuna com a forma correta de 'sollen'.

Was ___ ich jetzt machen? (What should I do now?)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: soll
Para 'ich', o verbo modal 'sollen' se torna 'soll'. Lembre-se: sem terminação!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dar conselhos e seguir ordens (sollen)

Qual frase está gramaticalmente correta?

Choose the best translation for 'Can you help me?'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kannst du mir helfen?
Não é necessário 'zu', e o verbo principal 'helfen' está corretamente no final.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sem 'zu' após verbos modais (können, wollen, müssen)

Preencha a lacuna com a forma correta.

Wir wollen morgen nach Berlin ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fahren
O verbo principal vai para o final na forma infinitiva, sem 'zu'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sem 'zu' após verbos modais (können, wollen, müssen)

Encontre e corrija o erro

Find and fix the mistake:

Mistake: Du dürfst hier nicht parken.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Du darfst hier nicht parken.
O verbo 'dürfen' se conjuga para 'darfst' para o sujeito 'du'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: O verbo modal dürfen: Permissões e regras (dürfen)

Score: /10

Perguntas comuns (6)

É só uma diferença de como as línguas evoluíram, sabe? Os verbos modais alemães são tipo 'auxiliares' e carregam o peso gramatical sozinhos, deixando o verbo principal na forma básica. Por exemplo,
I want to eat
(Eu quero comer) vira Ich will essen em alemão, sem o 'zu'.
Tecnicamente, é uma forma do subjuntivo de 'mögen', mas na prática, para o seu nível A2, ele se comporta EXATAMENTE como um verbo modal e segue a regra de 'sem zu'. Tipo:
Ich möchte einen Kaffee
(Eu gostaria de um café).
'Wollen' é para intenções e planos fortes ('Eu quero/pretendo fazer algo'). 'Möchten' é a versão educada ('Eu gostaria de'), perfeita para pedidos e para pedir comida num restaurante. Por exemplo,
Ich will einen Kaffee!
soa mais exigente que
Ich möchte einen Kaffee.
Essa é uma característica comum dos verbos modais alemães. Eles frequentemente sofrem uma mudança na vogal do radical nas formas singulares. É só lembrar: 'Singular = i, Plural = o'. Veja: Ich will, Du willst, Er will.
Dürfen é para permissão (Posso eu?), enquanto können é para habilidade física ou mental (Consigo eu?). Por exemplo,
Ich kann Klavier spielen
(Eu consigo tocar piano) vs.
Ich darf hier Klavier spielen.
(Eu posso tocar piano aqui - se permitido).
Sim, nas formas singulares (eu, você informal, ele/ela/isso), o 'ü' sempre muda para 'a'. Ele volta a ser 'ü' em todas as formas plurais.
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