|
Modal verbs an overview |
| verb |
example |
Spanish |
example |
| OBLIGATION |
| instruction
or advise |
must
|
You must read the book.
|
tener que
|
Tienes que leer el libro.
|
| prohibition |
must not
|
You must not drink this.
|
no deber
|
No debes que beberlo. |
external obligation
no freedom of choice
logical consequence
instruction / attitude |
to have to
|
You
have to work more if you want
to buy the car.
You have to go to school.
The judge says he has to
go to jail.
You have to meet her she will fascinate you!!
|
tener que
|
Tienes
que trabajar más, si quieres
comprar el coche.
Tienes que ir a la escuela.
El juez
dijo que tiene que irse a la cárcel.
Tienes que conocerlo, te
va a fascinar. |
attitude
moral obligation / moral principles
room for manoeuvre
offer
proposition
to ask for instruction |
| shall |
You shall meet her, she
will fascinate you!!
You shall honour your parents.
He shall
go to Spain, but I think he goes
to Italy.
Shall I put the plates
here?
Shall
I help you?
Shall we go to the movies? |
deber
|
Debes
conocerlo, te va a fascinar.
Debes venerar a tus padres.
Debe
ir a España, pero creo
que se va a Italia.
Los platos los pongo aquí?
Te ayudo?
Vamos al cine. |
shall not
|
I shall not go to hell.
He shall not go to Spain, but I think he goes anyway.
|
no deber
|
No debo ir al infierno.
No debe ir a España
pero creo que lo hace. |
duty
assumption
advise |
should
|
I should go to work now.
He should know.
You should be careful.
|
debería, tendría
(in conjuntivo both is used)
|
Debería/tendría
que ir a trabajo ahora.
Debería/tendría
que saberlo.
Deberías/tendrías
que ser cuidado. |
should not
|
You should not stay here.
He should not yet be arrived.
You should not worry so much. |
no debería
|
No deberías/tendrías
quedarte aquí.
No debería haber
llegado ya
No deberías/tendrías preocuparte. |
| = should / shall |
to ought to (AE)
|
I ought (not) to go to
work now.
He ought (not) be arrived.
You ought (not) to be careful.
|
(no) debería
|
(No)
Debería/tendría
ir a trabajo ahora.
(No) Debería/tendría
que saberlo.
(No)
Deberías/tendrías
ser cuidado. |
| affirmative |
need to
|
I need to go home
|
hace falta que
|
Hace falta que me vaya a mí casa. |
| not necessary to |
need not to
|
He
needn't do it but he did it anyway.
|
no hace falta que
|
No hacía
falta que lo hizo pero lo hizo. |
have not to
|
I do not have to swim.
I
do not have to tell it to her.
He doesn't have to do it
if he doesn't want to."
|
no tener que
|
No tengo que nadar.
No
tengo que decírselo.
No tiene que hacerlo si no quiere. |
|
PERMISSION / ABILITY |
ability
possibility
informal permission |
can /
to be able to
|
He can / could / is able to
drive a car.
|
poder / saber
|
Puede conducir un coche. (possibility)
Sabe conducir un coche. (learnt
ability) |
could
|
He can /
could / is able to go to Madrid.
|
poder |
Puede ir
a Madrid. |
to be able to
|
You can / could go and play
in your room.
|
poder |
Puedes ir a tu habitación
y jugar. |
permission
possibility
suggestion |
may
|
May
I leave the room?
He may study geology.
She may
know this. / Maybe she knows.
|
poder
|
Puedo
salir de la habitación?
Puede estudiar geología.
Puede
ser que lo sepa.
|
might
|
Might I leave the room?
He might
study geology.
She might know it. / Might
be that she knows. |
podría (poder conjuntivo)
|
Podría salir de la habitación?
Podría estudiar
geología.
Podría ser que lo sepa.
|
forming future
polite "order" |
will
|
They
will go to Spain next year.
Will you go home now?
|
futuro
imperativo |
Iran
a España el año
que viene.
Vete a tu casa. |
| refusal |
| will not |
He won't
do it, whatever you say.
|
indicativo negativo
|
No importa lo que le digas,
no lo hará. |
| request |
would
|
Would you pass the butter?
|
imperativo
|
Dame la mantequilla, por favour. |
| refusal in the past |
would not
|
He wouldn't
do it, whatever we said.
|
indicativo negativo |
No importa lo que le digamos,
no lo hará. |
| OTHERS |
| desire |
to want to
|
He wants to go to Barcelona.
|
querer
|
Quiere irse a Barcelona.
|
| habit |
to use to
|
She used
to go to Barcelona every year
|
solir
|
Solía
ir en el autobus.
|
