If you have decided to learn German , you may be a little nervous about verb conjugation. The below are modal verbs (a supplemental verb which is used to express ability). They are used to describe the relationship to a second verb. In English you would recognize modal verbs such as: could, should, would, must, can, and may. The German language has six modal verbs. Learning these verbs will set you up for success with the most basic German sentence structures. Here are the six German modal verbs:
- können = can
- wollen = want
- mögen = to like
- sollen = should
- dürfen = allowed
- müssen = have to
Learning how to conjugate common verbs is a crucial step to understand the language.
Learn German Verb Conjugation
Fortunately for English speakers, conjugating a German verb is not nearly as complex as you might think. The vast majority of German verbs may be conjugated using one of four possible endings. The rules and patterns are all very similar, which means there’s very little memorization involved. Once you start recognizing the patterns and applying the rules you’ve learned, it will come easily.
The easiest approach when tackling this is to start with regular verbs in the present tense. Once you have mastered that, move on to the few irregular verbs in the present tense. And lastly, you’ll take on verbs in the past and future tenses.
As a new German learner, you will also need to focus on some other basic building blocks. These are essential German words and greetings such as thank you, my name is, good morning, and more. Rosetta Stone will help you get a handle on these basics and put you on the path to having everyday conversations in German.
We will also help you perfect your German pronunciation with our patented TruAccent™ speech-recognition engine. TruAccent compares your voice to native speakers and provides immediate feedback on your efforts, so you will get the feedback you need for the most accurate pronunciation. TruAccent is a powerful tool for helping you learn and speak German.
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