German · A1 · Everyday language
Freedom and Responsibilities in German
Practise talking kindly with your child about everyday choices, permission and responsibilities. Use können (can), müssen (must), wollen (want) and dürfen (may).
What you'll learn
- Ask about abilities and wishes.
- Talk about choices and responsibilities.
- Give permission using dürfen.
- Build simple sentences and questions with modal verbs.
German phrases for freedom and responsibilities
Kannst du Nudeln kochen?
Can you cook pasta?
Kannst du asks whether your child knows how to do something. Nudeln is the usual everyday word for pasta.
Du kannst das Spiel planen.
You can plan the game.
Du kannst can offer your child a choice or an opportunity.
Du musst deine Hausaufgaben machen.
You must do your homework.
Du musst expresses a requirement. Hausaufgaben is plural in German.
Wir müssen die Katze füttern.
We must feed the cat.
Wir means we and presents the task as a shared responsibility.
Willst du dich mit deinen Freunden treffen?
Do you want to meet your friends?
Sich mit Freunden treffen means to meet up with friends. With du, use dich.
Ich will deine Idee hören.
I want to hear your idea.
Ich will means I want, not I will. A warm tone makes this an encouraging invitation.
Du darfst meinen Laptop benutzen.
You may use my laptop.
Du darfst clearly gives permission. Meinen goes with Laptop here because it is the object of benutzen.
Du darfst bei deinem Freund bleiben.
You may stay at your friend's house.
Bei deinem Freund means at your friend's place. For a female friend, say bei deiner Freundin. This does not specifically mean staying overnight.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
kochen
to cook
Nudeln kochen means to cook pasta.
das Spiel
the game
Planen means to plan.
die Hausaufgaben
homework
Use Hausaufgaben machen for to do homework.
füttern
to feed
Use this verb when talking about feeding a pet.
sich treffen
to meet up
Learn the useful chunk: dich mit deinen Freunden treffen — to meet up with your friends.
die Idee
the idea
Deine Idee means your idea.
benutzen
to use
Useful for asking or giving permission to use things.
bleiben
to stay
Bei einem Freund bleiben means to stay at a friend's place.
Four useful modal verbs
Modal verbs show ability, necessity, wishes or permission. Their forms change with the subject. Du is the informal singular you, used with your child.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ability or opportunity: können | ich kann · du kannst · wir können | Du kannst das Spiel planen. |
| Necessity: müssen | ich muss · du musst · wir müssen | Wir müssen die Katze füttern. |
| Wishes: wollen | ich will · du willst · wir wollen | Ich will deine Idee hören. |
| Permission: dürfen | ich darf · du darfst · wir dürfen | Du darfst meinen Laptop benutzen. |
Word order with modal verbs
In a simple statement, the modal verb comes second. The main verb goes at the end in its infinitive form, without zu. In a yes/no question, put the modal verb first.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | Subject + modal verb + other words + infinitive | Du musst deine Hausaufgaben machen. |
| Yes/no question | Modal verb + subject + other words + infinitive? | Kannst du Nudeln kochen? |
Ability and permission
Können usually describes what someone can do. Dürfen explicitly says what someone is allowed to do.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ask about ability | Kannst du …? | Kannst du Nudeln kochen? |
| Give permission | Du darfst … | Du darfst meinen Laptop benutzen. |
More examples
Darf ich deinen Laptop benutzen?
May I use your laptop?
Darf ich is a useful way for your child to ask permission.
Wir können zusammen Nudeln kochen.
We can cook pasta together.
Zusammen means together and makes this a friendly offer of shared activity.