Modal verbs: sollen (1)

You already know the modal verbs müssen, können, wollen and möchten. Next you will learn the modal verb sollen. As with the other modal verbs, it refers to a second verb, the main verb.

We use sollen to report a request or an order to do something.

 

Nico's mother says: Nico, räum dein Zimmer auf!

But Nico doesn't want to tidy his room and stays where he is. So his brother says: Nico, hast du nicht gehört? Du sollst dein Zimmer aufräumen!

 

Conjugation

Unlike the other modal verbs, sollen does not have a vowel change in conjugation. The first and third person are the same.

Singular:  
1st person ich soll
2nd person du sollst
3rd person er/sie/es/man soll
Plural:  
1st person wir sollen
2nd person ihr sollt
3rd person sie  sollen
Formal: Sie sollen

 

Grammatical terms in German:

das Modalverb: Modal verbs are verbs that often refer to a second verb and add information. They clarify, for example, whether it is possible or necessary to do something. In a sentence in the present tense, the modal verb is conjugated and the second verb remains in the infinitive.