charles3xxx

Question

Modal verbs what are they?

Welcome to the Q&A forum. I have edited your post for proper capitalization. Please do this with any other questions you post. Thanks. - rac1, Dec 26, 2016

Hi Charles. You need to be specific about what you are asking. Such as it is now, you have asked what modal verbs are. Did you just want to know what they are or what they are in Spanish/English? - rac1, Dec 27, 2016

Answer 1

These are verbs that are usually used in conjunction with a following verb in the infinitive.

EX. Deseo/quiero desayunar ahora. I want to have breakfast now.

Los estudiantes deben estudiar para el examen. The students should study for the exam.

Here is a chart with the most common ones.

:) - ian-hill, Dec 26, 2016

Answer 2

Click here for a previous Q & A on Modals.

Click here to see how Spanish uses mainly the verbs Poder and Deber to translate English Modals.

Thanks, Ian. Great link! - rac1, Dec 26, 2016

Another great link amigo. This one explains a lot and clears up questions here. :) - rac1, Dec 28, 2016

Answer 3

You need to understand Modals to speak English fluently.

The 11 Modals are often called "Auxiliary verbs" but in my opinion they are not verbs because they cannot be conjugated. They have the same form for all "persons" he - she - you - we - they - it.

Modals never change form but they modify the meaning of the verb that follows the Modal.

He can speak Spanish. He could speak Spanish. - possibility or ability

He will speak Spanish. He would speak Spanish. - future

He shall speak Spanish. He should speak Spanish. - future and obligatiuon

He may speak Spanish. He might speak Spanish. - permission and possibility

He used to speak Spanish. He ought to speak Spanish.- past and obligation

He must speak Spanish. - obligation

All the sentences above are good sentences.

(Él) puede hablar español. Podía hablar español.

Hablará español. Hablaba español.

Hablará español. Debe hablar español.

Puede hablar español. Podría hablar español.

Solía hablar español. Debe hablar español.

Debe hablar español.

These sentences might not be good or not the only possibilities.

Estas frases pueden no ser buenas o no son las únicas posibilidades. All Modals are followed by the infinitive of a verb without the "to".

Dani's answer is good. but "want" is not a Modal.

PS - the English Modals do not exist as direct word for word in Spanish.

In Spanish the modals are always conjugated-- and in Spanish "want" is considered "modal." - Daniela2041, Dec 26, 2016

But it's not clear what the OP wants. I am assuming English, since he asked the question in English. Some other English verbs express modality although they are not modal verbs because they are not auxiliaries, including want, wish, hope, and like. - rac1, Dec 26, 2016

his profile indicates fluent English beginner Spanish - Mardle, Dec 26, 2016

Yes, Thank you, Mardle, I saw that, but he just ask what modal words are. - rac1, Dec 27, 2016

Dani is correct in saying in Spanish modals are always conjugated. But, he needs to be more specific in what he is looking for. - rac1, Dec 27, 2016

Answer 4

Modals do not have past forms or future forms.
It is not possible for example to say " I will can do it tomorrow ".

The reason is that two Modals, for example will and can, can never be used next to each other.

Therefore no modals can be made future by using them with will.

These Modals can be used with the present perfect of a verb to indicate the past.

could I could have done it. (but I didn't)

may I may have eaten it. (but I can't remember)

might I might have written it. (but I'm not sure)

should I should have asked for it. (but unfortunately I didn't)

would I would have prevented it. (but I did not have enough time/money/opportunity)

ought to I ought to have helped her. (but I forgot)

must I must have cooked it. (No one else could have done it)

In Spanish "would" is N O T" modal. In Spanish we use the conditional of Haber. There is also an past tense "would" as in "We would always go for a sleigh ride on Christmas." This is expressed by the imperfect tense of "soler" or just the imperfect - Daniela2041, Dec 26, 2016

tense of the main action verb. "Siempre paseábamos en trineo para la Navidad." - Daniela2041, Dec 27, 2016

Also for "would" we use the conditional of the main verb. "Visitaría España si tuviera la pasta" (slang for "money." - Daniela2041, Dec 27, 2016

Ian is not saying what they are in Spanish here, but English. - rac1, Dec 27, 2016

Explanation: We use the conditional of "haber" for the "conditional perfect" or "I would have done this" tense. :) "Habría hecho esto si lo hubiera pensado." when I was learning English, the terminology was "auxiliary" not "modal" verbs. I think that's - Daniela2041, Dec 27, 2016

still in effect today in American elementary schools. - Daniela2041, Dec 27, 2016

It very well could be. Thanks for the explanation. - rac1, Dec 27, 2016

I didn't mean to imply that you were wrong about the Spanish. - rac1, Dec 27, 2016