Modal Verbs

Question

What are the top 25 Spanish modal verbs ?

There is a search box on the question page. I suggest you search for modal verbs and auxiliary verbs to see lots of prior posts about this topic. - DilKen, Jul 6, 2017

Hello Michael, welcome to SpanishDict. - rac1, Jul 6, 2017

Answer 1

Somebody on SD said we don't really have modal verbs in Spanish because we don't have defective verbs.

Polenta: I think there are a few defective verbs, such as llover & nevar, but they are not modal verbs. - DilKen, Jul 6, 2017

ah.... because they are only in the third person ? - polenta1, Jul 6, 2017

Polenta: Yeah, that's my understanding. - DilKen, Jul 6, 2017

when I was learning English I never heard of "modal" verbs. I was taught the words and how to use them. I just thought of it being idiomatic. I never even heard of "modal" verbs until I came to SD. - Daniela2041, Jul 6, 2017

I heard about them ever since I began my first year of English. We were a little surprised people didn't say "he cans, he musts, he mays " or "to can, to may " etc. Wow! - polenta1, Jul 7, 2017

I find it interesting, that when I search the net for verbos modales, most of the hits are for sites that are teaching English to Spanish speakers, even though there are verbos modales in Spanish grammar. :) - DilKen, Jul 7, 2017

Answer 2

Deber - Soler - The problem with these is that these Spanish verbs are all real verbs.

Modals are NOT verbs

For example there is no "to must" or "to used tor" or "to can" etc.

In my opinion the 11 English modals act more like adverbs - they modify verbs and are always followed by the base of a real verb. (the infinitive without the "to") There are no exceptions.

Examples

I can speak Spanish" - I could speak Spanish. - I would speak Spanish

! will speak Spanish. - I used to Speak Spanish. I ought to speak Spanish.

I shall speak Spanish. - I should speak Spanish. - I may speak Spanish.

I might speak Spanish - I must speak Spanish.

Ian: a review of the RAE indicates there are verbos modales en español. However, as you know, they don't behave the same way as English modals. - DilKen, Jul 7, 2017

The big difference is that they can be conjugated for person, tense and mood. Almost all of them can also be used by themselves. - DilKen, Jul 7, 2017

From what I read, the best definition of a Spanish modal is an auxiliary verb which retains its overall meaning even where combined with another verb. - DilKen, Jul 7, 2017

This is in contrast to other auxiliaries, such as estar, which pretty much loses it's standalone meaning when combined with another verb in the gerundio. - DilKen, Jul 7, 2017

Answer 3

Here's a little quiz and explanation poached from the internet...

http://www.spanish.bz/modal-verbs.htm

Echoline: I edited your post to create a live link. Hope you don't mind. - DilKen, Jul 6, 2017

If you didn't know, you can do this by clicking on the globe with an arrow. - DilKen, Jul 6, 2017

Thank you, Ken. I had absolutely no idea how to do that. - Echoline, Jul 6, 2017

This is like posting a photo, but you have to highlight the html & post the link so that it's clickable. - NKM1974, Jul 6, 2017

Answer 4

And this is from the SD archives.....

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/188323/some-spanish-modal-verbs

Thanks for both links! :) - rac1, Jul 6, 2017