Mastering modal verbs is a crucial step in learning German, as they allow you to express abilities, desires, and preferences. In this post, we’ll explore three important modal verbs: können can, wollen want, and mögen like and show you how to use them when you are shopping in German. 

By the end of this guide, you’ll feel more confident using these verbs in various contexts, from asking for help to expressing what you would like. Remember that for more in-depth practice, you can listen to the related podcast episode where you can hear these verbs in action.

The modal verb können

Können is a modal verb used to express ability or possibility, equivalent to can or to be able to in English. One thing to note about können is the vowel change that occurs in the singular forms. Here’s how it’s conjugated:

Here are some examples to see können in action. 

• Können Sie mir bitte helfen? Can you help me, please?
• Wo kann ich eine Briefmarke kaufen? Where can I buy a stamp?

In these examples, notice how the infinitive verb (kaufen, helfen) is placed at the end of the sentence. When using modal verbs in German, the modal verb takes the role of the main verb, meaning it has to be conjugated and is (normally) placed in the second position. The infinitive verb is placed at the end of the clause or sentence. 

The modal verb wollen

The verb wollen is used to express a strong desire or intention, meaning to want. It’s important to remember that ich will translates to I want and NOT I will, which is a common mistake among learners. Here’s the conjugation of wollen:

Here are some sentences you might use when going shopping. 

• Ich will das anprobieren. I want to try that on.
• Willst du ein Souvenir kaufen? Do you want to buy a souvenir? 

Wollen can come across as quite direct, so it’s useful to know möchten would like, which is a more polite way of expressing desire.

Expressing preferences with mögen and möchten

Mögen is a versatile verb that can mean to like, but in this lesson, we focus on its conditional form möchten, which is used to express polite requests or desires. Here’s how it’s conjugated:

Let’s have a look at how to use möchten to form polite requests. 

• Ich möchte bitte das grüne T-Shirt anprobieren. I would like to try on the green t-shirt. 
• Wo möchtest du morgen einkaufen gehen? Where do you like to go shopping tomorrow? 

Using möchten softens your requests and makes your German sound more polite and natural.

Practical examples using modal verbs

Now that we’ve covered the basics of these modal verbs, let’s put them into practice with a few more shopping examples and see if you can translate them into English. 

• Können Sie mir das bitte eine Nummer größer bringen? 
• Meine Eltern möchten jetzt eine Kaffee trinken gehen. 
• Willst du die Postkarte heute oder morgen kaufen? 

Fantastisch! Modal verbs like können, wollen, and mögen are incredibly useful and are essential tools for expressing yourself in German. Whether you’re asking for help, expressing a desire, or making polite requests, mastering these verbs will greatly enhance your communication skills. Remember to practise regularly and try using these verbs in different contexts to build your confidence.

Don’t forget you can also listen to the podcast episode with many more example sentences and further explanations. If you are looking to expand your knowledge of German place names and what preposition to use with them, have a look at this blog post.