TOPIC · Verbs (Verben)

Assumptions with modal verbs

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After this lesson you can express assumptions in German with different strengths using modal verbs and Konjunktiv II forms.

In this lesson you learn how to express different degrees of assumptions and probability in German using modal verbs in the Indicative and in "Konjunktiv II" (subjunctive II, the form used for unreality and polite or tentative statements).

Overview: modal verbs for assumptions

German mainly uses these modal verbs for assumptions:

"können / können nicht"
"könnten" (Konjunktiv II of "können")
"dürfen / dürften" (in the meaning of probability)
"müssen / müssten" (logical conclusion)
"sollen / sollten" (reported information, expectation)
fixed phrase: "es mag sein, dass …"

The percentages below are only rough orientation.

Modal verb / structure	Typical meaning in assumptions
"müssen" / "müsste"	very high probability, logical conclusion
"dürfen" / "dürfte"	high probability
"können"	neutral possibility
"könnten"	cautious, hypothetical possibility
"nicht können"	impossibility
"(es) mag sein, dass …"	cautious concession / partial agreement
"sollen" / "sollten"	according to information / something expected

1"können" and "könnten"

"können" expresses a neutral possibility. With negation it expresses impossibility.

Example	Meaning
"Es kann sein, dass er recht hat."	It is possible that he is right.
"Er kann heute nicht im Büro sein."	It is impossible that he is in the office today.

"könnten" (Konjunktiv II) makes the assumption more tentative or hypothetical:

Example	Meaning
"Er könnte schon zu Hause sein."	He might already be at home.
"Das könnte teuer werden."	That could become expensive / might be expensive.

2"dürfen" and "dürfte" as a guess

In the meaning of a guess or assumption, German normally uses "dürfte" (Konjunktiv II), not "darf".

Example	Meaning
"Er dürfte schon zu Hause sein."	He is probably already at home.
"Das dürfte genug sein."	That is probably enough.

3"müssen" and "müssten"

"müssen" (and the softer "müsste") expresses a very strong, logically based assumption.

Example	Meaning
"Er muss schon zu Hause sein."	He must be at home by now. (very likely)
"Um diese Uhrzeit müsste er schon zu Hause sein."	At this time he should already be at home.

Important: here "müssen" is not obligation, but a logical conclusion from the situation.

4"sollen" and "sollten"

"sollen" indicates that the information comes from another source (weather forecast, other people, etc.).

Example	Meaning
"Laut Wetterbericht soll es morgen regnen."	According to the weather report it will rain tomorrow.
"Die Lieferung soll heute ankommen."	The delivery is supposed to arrive today.

"sollten" can show expectation or mild surprise (something was expected earlier).

Example	Meaning
"Es sollte eigentlich schon da sein."	It should actually already be there.

5"es mag sein, dass …"

The fixed phrase "es mag sein, dass …" sounds formal or literary; it often introduces a concession.

Example	Meaning
"Es mag sein, dass du recht hast, aber ich zweifle."	You may be right, but I have doubts.

After this lesson you can choose and use German modal verbs to express assumptions with different degrees of certainty.