Modal Verbs
Modal Verbs
Poder (can), dever (must/should), and querer (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
Quero comer.
I want to eat.
Poder, dever, and querer are followed straight by another verb in its infinitive form: quero comer is literally "I-want eat" — the infinitive comer already carries the meaning English hands to a separate word "to". No linking word is needed between the two verbs.
dever softens from "must" to "probably" depending on context
Devo trabalhar amanhã. (I must work tomorrow.) — Ele deve estar em casa. (He's probably at home.)
I must work tomorrow. — He's probably at home.
dever most often means obligation ("must/should"), but with a state-of-being verb like estar it frequently shifts to expressing probability instead — closer to English "must be" in the sense of a likely guess ("he must be home by now") rather than a requirement. Context usually makes which meaning is intended clear.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
- English
- I can
- English
- you can
- English
- he/she can
- English
- I must / should
- English
- you must / should
- English
- he/she must / should
- English
- I want
- English
- you want
- English
- he/she wants
- English
- we can
- English
- we want