Modal Verb Word Order
The modal comes second and the other verb comes last: Ek kan vandag nie kom nie. (I can't come today.)
How It Works
The frame. Afrikaans puts the two verbs at the two edges of the clause:
- Ek kan swem. (I can swim.)
- Ons moet môre vroeg werk. (We have to work early tomorrow.)
- Sy wil 'n nuwe kar koop. (She wants to buy a new car.)
This is the same idea as the main word-order rule: the first verb is always second, and other verbs go to the end. See Basic Word Order.
Questions and fronted words. In a yes/no question the modal comes first: Kan jy my help? When a sentence starts with a time word or another element, the modal still comes second: Môre moet ek werk. See V2 inversion. The other verb stays at the end every time.
Negation. The first nie comes after the modal, pronoun objects and most time words. The second nie comes after the verb at the end: Ek kan hom nie sien nie. (I can't see him.) See nie placement.
Wees and hê. After a modal, use the infinitives wees and hê: Julle moet stil wees. Ek wil 'n hond hê. See is/wees and het/hê.
Separable verbs stay whole. At the end of the clause the verb is one word: Ek moet vroeg opstaan. See separable verbs.
No om te. Modals take the plain verb: Ek moet werk, never Ek moet om te werk. Other verbs, such as probeer and vergeet, need om te. See verbs taking om te.
Modal on its own. When the action is clear from context, the verb can be left out: Ek kan nie. (I can't.) Ja, ek wil. (Yes, I want to.)
In a subordinate clause both verbs go to the end, with the modal first: ... omdat ek moet werk. See verb cluster order.
Examples (6)
- Ek kan vandag nie kom nie.
I can't come today.
Word by Word: I can today not come not.
The time word and the first nie sit inside the frame kan ... kom.
- Ons moet môre vroeg werk.
We have to work early tomorrow.
Word by Word: We must tomorrow early work.
- Wil jy saam met ons eet?
Do you want to eat with us?
Word by Word: Want you together with us eat?
- Môre sal ek die huis skoonmaak.
Tomorrow I will clean the house.
Word by Word: Tomorrow will I the house clean-make.
The sentence starts with môre, so sal comes second and ek follows it. The separable verb skoonmaak stays whole at the end.
- Jy mag nie so hard praat nie.
You mustn't talk so loudly.
Word by Word: You may not so loud talk not.
- Julle moet stil wees.
You must be quiet.
Word by Word: You-all must quiet be.
After moet, is becomes wees.
Common Mistakes
Keeping the English order, with the verb next to the modal.
Ek kan praat Afrikaans.Ek kan Afrikaans praat.The verb waits at the end of the clause. The object Afrikaans comes before it.
Putting om te after a modal.
Ons moet om te werk.Ons moet werk.Modal verbs take the plain verb directly. There is no word for to.
Using is after a modal.
Jy moet stil is.Jy moet stil wees.After a modal, is becomes wees. In the same way, het becomes hê.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Modal verbs sit in second place and send the other verb to the end.
Related Patterns
- kanCan
Kan is the most common modal and follows this order.
Level 1 - Verb Second After a Fronted Word
When a sentence starts with another word, the modal stays second and the subject follows it.
Level 2 - Where the First nie Goes
Shows where the first nie goes inside the modal frame.
Level 3 - Separable Verbs
After a modal, a separable verb stays whole at the end.
Level 2 - Verbs Together at the End
In a subordinate clause, the modal joins the other verb at the end.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Modal Verb Word Order in Bubblegum
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