Modal Verbs
Modal Verbs
Móc (can), musieć (must), and chcieć (want) unlock a huge range of sentences on their own — each pairs directly with another verb's infinitive.
Grammar Comparison
Grammar Comparison
Modals Attach Directly to an Infinitive
Chcę jeść.
I want to eat.
Móc, musieć, and chcieć are followed straight by another verb in its infinitive form, with nothing in between — no separate word for 'to' the way English needs one. Chcę jeść is literally 'I-want eat', and that's the complete, correct sentence.
All Three Are Irregular
mogę, muszę, chcę
I can, I must, I want
None of these three verbs follow a fully regular conjugation. Each has its own stem changes across the persons (mogę/możesz/może..., muszę/musisz/musi..., chcę/chcesz/chce...) and simply has to be memorized — but the payoff is large, since these three verbs appear in an enormous share of everyday sentences.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
- English
- I can
- English
- you can
- English
- he/she can
- English
- I must
- English
- you must
- English
- he/she must
- English
- I want
- English
- you want
- English
- he/she wants
- English
- we can
- English
- we must
- English
- we want