German Modal Verbs: Conjugation of Muessen, Sollen, Wollen

How do you conjugate the German modal verbs müssen, sollen, and wollen? See the different tenses and sample modal sentences and idioms.

Modalverben - Modal Verbs

* In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples:

ihr habt sprechen müssen = you (pl.) had to speak

ich hatte sprechen müssen = I had had to speak

The old spelling with ß, as in ich muß or gemußt, is no longer used for forms of müssen.

For all modals with umlauts, the simple past (preterite/Imperfekt) has no umlaut, but the subjunctive form always has an umlaut!

Sample Sentences With Müssen

Present: Ich muss dort Deutsch sprechen. I have to speak German there.
Past/Preterite: Er musste es nicht tun. He didn't have to do it.
Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Wir haben mit der Bahn fahren müssen. We had to go by train.
Future/Futur: Sie wird morgen abfahren müssen. She will have to depart tomorrow.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Wenn ich müsste... If I had to...

Sample Idiomatic Expressions

Ich muss nach Hause. I have to go home.
Muss das sein? Is that really necessary?
So müsste es immer sein. That's how it should be all the time. 

* In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples:

wir haben gehen sollen = we should have gone

ich hatte fahren sollen = I had been supposed to drive

Sample Sentences With Sollen

Present: Er soll reich sein. He's supposed to be rich. / It's said that he's rich.
Past/Preterite: Er sollte gestern ankommen. He was supposed to arrive yesterday.
Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Du hast ihn anrufen sollen. You should have called him.
Future (in sense of): Er soll das morgen haben. He'll have that tomorrow.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Das hättest du nicht tun sollen. You shouldn't have done that.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Wenn ich sollte... If I should...
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Sollte sie anrufen... If she should (happen to) call...

Sample Idiomatic Expressions

Das Buch soll sehr gut sein. The book is said to be very good.
Du sollst damit sofort aufhören! You're to stop that right now!
Was soll das (heißen)? What's that supposed to mean? What's the idea?
Es soll nicht wieder vorkommen. It won't happen again. 

* In the present perfect or past perfect tense with another verb, the double infinitive construction is used, as in the following examples:

wir haben sprechen wollen = we wanted to speak

ich hatte gehen wollen = I had wanted to go

Sample Sentences With Wollen

Present: Sie will nicht gehen. She doesn't want to go.
Past/Preterite: Ich wollte das Buch lesen. I wanted to read the book.
Pres. Perfect/Perfekt: Sie haben den Film immer sehen wollen. They have always wanted to see the movie.
Past Perfect/Plusquamperfekt: Wir hatten den Film immer sehen wollen. We had always wanted to see the movie.
Future/Futur: Er wird gehen wollen. He will want to go.
Subjunctive/Konjunktiv: Wenn ich wollte... If I wanted to...

Sample Idiomatic Expressions

Das will nicht viel sagen. That's of little consequence. That doesn't mean much.
Er will es nicht gesehen haben. He claims not to have seen it.
Das hat er nicht gewollt. That's not what he intended.

See the conjugation of the other three German modal verbs dürfen, können, and mögen.