German · A1 · Everyday language
Plans for Today in German
Use four German modal verbs to talk about after-school plans: können (can), müssen (must), wollen (want to), and dürfen (may). Use du when speaking to your child.
What you'll learn
- Ask your child about tasks and choices.
- Talk about ability, things that need to be done, wishes, and permission.
- Put the modal verb in the correct place and the action verb at the end.
German phrases for plans for today
Kannst du deine Sporttasche packen?
Can you pack your sports bag?
Kannst du …? can be a friendly request. Deine means “your” with the feminine noun Sporttasche.
Du kannst dieses Wort lesen.
You can read this word.
Kannst expresses ability here. Dieses Wort means “this word.”
Du musst deine Hausaufgaben machen.
You must do your homework.
Mus musst is not a German form: use musst with du. Hausaufgaben machen means “to do homework.”
Wir müssen jetzt los.
We must leave now.
Wir müssen jetzt los is a common everyday way to say that it is time to leave.
Willst du Fußball spielen?
Do you want to play football?
Willst du …? asks what your child wants to do. Fußball means football or soccer.
Ich will deine Geschichte hören.
I want to hear your story.
Ich will means “I want to,” not “I will.” Möchte is a softer alternative meaning “would like to.”
Du darfst einen Freund einladen.
You may invite a friend.
Darfst gives permission. For a female friend, use eine Freundin.
Du darfst einen Euro ausgeben.
You may spend one euro.
Ausgeben means “to spend” money. Use einen Euro for the amount being spent.
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
die Sporttasche
sports bag
Packen means “to pack”: eine Sporttasche packen.
das Wort
word
Lesen means “to read”: ein Wort lesen.
die Hausaufgaben
homework
German normally uses this plural form for school homework.
jetzt
now
Use it to say that something needs to happen now.
Fußball spielen
to play football
No article is needed before Fußball in this expression.
die Geschichte
story
Deine Geschichte means “your story.”
einladen
to invite
After a modal verb, keep einladen together at the end.
ausgeben
to spend
Used for spending money. After a modal verb, keep ausgeben together.
Four modal verbs
Modal verbs change their form to match the subject. Learn these useful forms together.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ability: can | können: ich kann, du kannst, wir können | Du kannst lesen. |
| Necessity: must | müssen: ich muss, du musst, wir müssen | Du musst lernen. |
| Wish: want to | wollen: ich will, du willst, wir wollen | Ich will spielen. |
| Permission: may | dürfen: ich darf, du darfst, wir dürfen | Du darfst spielen. |
Word order
In a simple statement, the modal verb comes second. In a yes/no question, it comes first. The action verb normally stays in its infinitive form at the end.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | Subject + modal verb + other words + infinitive | Du kannst dieses Wort lesen. |
| Yes/no question | Modal verb + subject + other words + infinitive? | Willst du Fußball spielen? |
| Common everyday expression | Subject + müssen + jetzt los | Wir müssen jetzt los. |
More examples
Kannst du bitte deine Sporttasche packen?
Can you please pack your sports bag?
Bitte makes the request more polite.
Du darfst eine Freundin einladen.
You may invite a female friend.
Use eine Freundin instead of einen Freund for a female friend.
Wir müssen jetzt losgehen.
We must leave now.
This includes the action verb losgehen. In everyday speech, Wir müssen jetzt los is also natural.