Introduction: Expressing Necessity, Permission, and Future/Promise

Modal verbs (modale werkwoorden) are auxiliary verbs that modify the meaning of the main verb in a sentence. They express ideas like necessity, possibility, permission, obligation, ability, or future intention.

This chapter focuses on three important modal verbs in the present tense:

• moeten (must, have to)
• mogen (may, be allowed to)
• zullen (shall, will - often for future, promise, or proposal)

Structure with Modal Verbs

In a main clause with a modal verb in the present tense:

1. The modal verb is conjugated according to the subject and takes the standard verb position (usually second).
2. The main verb goes to the end of the clause in its infinitive form.

Structure: Subject + Conjugated Modal Verb + (Rest of Sentence) + Infinitive Main Verb

moeten (must, have to)

Expresses obligation, necessity, or strong advice.

Conjugation (Present Tense):

Pronoun	moeten	English
ik	moet	I must/have to
jij/je	moet	you must/have to
u	moet	you must/have to
hij/zij/het/ze	moet	he/she/it must/has to
wij/we	moeten	we must/have to
jullie	moeten	you must/have to
zij/ze	moeten	they must/have to

Note: The jij/je form is moet, without the typical -t.

Examples:

• Ik moet vandaag werken. (I have to work today.)
• Jij moet je huiswerk maken. (You must do your homework.)
• Hij moet de trein halen. (He has to catch the train.)
• Wij moeten nu vertrekken. (We must leave now.)
• Moeten jullie vroeg opstaan? (Do you have to get up early?)
• Zij moeten Nederlands leren. (They have to learn Dutch.)

mogen (may, be allowed to)

Expresses permission or possibility (sometimes).

Conjugation (Present Tense):

Pronoun	mogen	English
ik	mag	I may/am allowed to
jij/je	mag	you may/are allowed to
u	mag	you may/are allowed to
hij/zij/het/ze	mag	he/she/it may/is allowed to
wij/we	mogen	we may/are allowed to
jullie	mogen	you may/are allowed to
zij/ze	mogen	they may/are allowed to

Note: The singular forms are all mag.

Examples:

• Mag ik hier zitten? (May I sit here?)
• Je mag hier niet roken. (You are not allowed to smoke here.)
• Hij mag vanavond naar het feestje gaan. (He is allowed to go to the party tonight.)
• Kinderen mogen hier gratis naar binnen. (Children may enter here for free.)
• Wij mogen de auto van mijn vader lenen. (We are allowed to borrow my father's car.)
• Jullie mogen nog één koekje pakken. (You may take one more cookie.)

zullen (shall, will - future, promise, proposal)

Expresses future intention, a promise, a proposal, or sometimes probability. It's often a more formal or definitive future than using gaan.

Conjugation (Present Tense):

Pronoun	zullen	English (approx.)
ik	zal	I shall/will
jij/je	zult / zal	you will
u	zult / zal	you will
hij/zij/het/ze	zal	he/she/it will
wij/we	zullen	we shall/will
jullie	zullen	you will
zij/ze	zullen	they will

Note: For jij/je and u, both zult and zal are correct. Zult is often considered slightly more formal or traditional.

Examples:

• Ik zal je morgen bellen. (I will call you tomorrow. - promise/intention)
• Het zal morgen regenen. (It will probably rain tomorrow. - prediction)
• Zullen we naar de film gaan? (Shall we go to the cinema? - proposal)
• Wij zullen ons best doen. (We will do our best. - promise)
• De vergadering zal om 10 uur beginnen. (The meeting will start at 10 o'clock. - formal future)
• Jullie zullen het wel begrijpen. (You will understand it eventually. - assurance/prediction)

Modal Verbs vs. Main Verbs

Remember that when a modal verb is used, the main action is expressed by the infinitive at the end.

• Ik moet werken. (Modal moeten, infinitive werken)
• Ik werk hard. (Main verb werken, conjugated)

Moeten, mogen, and zullen are key modal verbs for expressing necessity, permission, and future/promises. Learn their irregular present tense conjugations and remember the sentence structure: Subject + Modal + ... + Infinitive. In the next chapter, we'll look at kunnen, willen, and weten (though weten isn't always classed as modal).