_Kunnen_ (can), _moeten_ (must, have to), _willen_ (want), _mogen_ (may, be allowed to) and _zullen_ (shall, will) are modal verbs: helper verbs that add an idea like ability, duty, wish or permission to another verb. In a statement the modal comes second, and the other verb goes to the end in its dictionary form, with no _te_: _Ik wil morgen fietsen._
The pattern
In a statement, the modal is conjugated (it changes to match the subject) and stands in position two. The other verb goes to the end as an infinitive (the dictionary form), without _te_.
- _kunnen_ (can, be able to): _ik kan, jij kunt, hij kan, wij kunnen_
- _moeten_ (must, have to): _ik moet, jij moet, hij moet, wij moeten_
- _willen_ (want): _ik wil, jij wilt, hij wil, wij willen_
- _mogen_ (may, be allowed to): _ik mag, jij mag, hij mag, wij mogen_
- _zullen_ (shall, will): _ik zal, jij zult, hij zal, wij zullen_
- With _jij_ you also hear _kan_, _wil_ and _zal_, and these are correct too. With _hij_ and _zij_ (she), _kan_, _wil_, _mag_ and _zal_ get no extra _-t_. More forms are in [irregular verbs in the present](#/lesson/irregular-present).
- In a yes/no question the modal comes first, and the infinitive still goes to the end: _Mag ik hier zitten?_
Examples
| Ik wil morgen fietsen. | I want to cycle tomorrow. |
|---|---|
| Mei wil een nieuwe fiets kopen. | Mei wants to buy a new bike. |
| Sanne kan goed zwemmen. | Sanne can swim well. |
| Daan moet vandaag tot zes uur werken. | Daan has to work until six today. |
| Fatima moet om acht uur bij de huisarts zijn. | Fatima has to be at the GP at eight. |
| Mag ik hier zitten? | May I sit here? |
| Je mag hier niet roken. | You are not allowed to smoke here. |
| Ik zal je morgen bellen. | I will call you tomorrow. |
| Zullen we koffie drinken? | Shall we have a coffee? |
Why it works this way
Think of the modal and the infinitive as two bookends. The modal stands in second place and does the grammar work: it matches the subject. The infinitive stands at the end and only names the action. Everything else (_morgen_, _goed_, _een nieuwe fiets_) goes in between. You will meet this two-place pattern again and again; see [the verb bracket](#/lesson/verb-bracket).
English helps you here. You already say I can swim, not I can to swim. Dutch treats all five modals that way, so _willen_ works like can: _Ik wil zwemmen_, with no _te_.
_Willen_ is a false friend: _ik wil_ means I want, not I will. To promise something, use _zullen_: _Ik zal je helpen._ For plans, people often just use the present tense: _Ik bel je morgen._ More in [Zullen](#/lesson/zullen).
When a direction follows, Dutch often leaves out the second verb: _Ik moet naar de gemeente._ (I have to go to the town hall.) One related verb does need _te_: _hoeven_, as in _Je hoeft niet te komen._ That is the [next lesson](#/lesson/hoeven).
Remember: the modal does the paperwork in second place, and the infinitive just waits at the end, unchanged, like a bike parked at the station.
Watch out
- Not: _Ik wil te fietsen._ Say: _Ik wil fietsen._ (no _te_ after a modal)
- Not: _Ik wil eten een appel._ Say: _Ik wil een appel eten._ (the infinitive goes to the end)
- Not: _Hij wilt naar huis._ Say: _Hij wil naar huis._ (_hij wil_ has no _-t_)
- Not: _Mei kan goed zwem._ Say: _Mei kan goed zwemmen._ (use the full infinitive, not the stem)
Quick check
- Fill in the right form of _willen_: _Bas ... morgen fietsen._
- Fill in the right form of _mogen_: _... ik hier mijn fiets parkeren?_
- Fix the sentence: _Wij moeten te werken._
- Put the words in order, starting with _Ahmed_: _koken_, _kan_, _goed_.
Answers
- _wil_: with _hij_ or a name like Bas, _willen_ has no _-t_.
- _Mag_: _ik mag_, and in a question the modal comes first.
- _Wij moeten werken._: no _te_ after a modal.
- _Ahmed kan goed koken._: the modal comes second, the infinitive goes to the end.
Use it today
Tonight, say three sentences out loud about your plans for tomorrow: one with _moet_, one with _wil_ and one with _kan_, such as _Ik moet morgen boodschappen doen._ Check that the second verb comes at the end each time.