Modal verbs : German vs English

Modal verbs : German vs English

1.Although the use of modal verbs is quite consistent and logical, English learners are particuarly prone to confuse German with English usage in certain sense: eg.,

i) it is easy to forget that " ich will" does NOT mean "I will" , BUT " I want to..",


2) the correct choice between müssen and dürfen can elude the unwary.


Ich muß nicht = " I don't have to", but NOT " I must not."

Ich darf nicht = "I must not"

eg.,

i) Ich darf keinen Alkohol trinken.

ii) Sie dürfen ihn nicht stören.

iii) Das müssen Sie aber icht. (You don't have to do that.)