Modal Verb Construction

Level 2

In Danish, modal verbs like kan (can), skal (must/will), and vil (want/will) are followed directly by the main verb in its infinitive form. Unlike many other verbs, you must never use the word 'at' between a modal and the main verb.

How It Works

Modal verbs (mådeudsagnsord) are essential for expressing possibility, ability, obligation, permission, willingness, or related modal meanings. Emotion verbs such as elske follow different patterns: Jeg elsker at svømme.

1. The Bare Infinitive Rule
When using a modal verb, the following verb must be in the infinitive form (the dictionary form). Crucially, you do not use the infinitive marker at.
Example: Jeg kan svømme (I can swim), NOT Jeg kan at svømme.

2. Present Tense Morphology
Several core modals have historically irregular present forms, often without the regular -r suffix found in regular verbs (e.g., spise becomes spiser). Learn their present forms individually. Gide, also used as a modal, has present gider:

  • Kan (from kunne) - Ability/Possibility
  • Skal (from skulle) - Future plans/Obligation
  • Vil (from ville) - Desire/Intention
  • Må (from måtte) - Permission/Necessity
  • Bør (from burde) - Advice/Moral obligation
  • Tør (from turde) - Dare
  • Gider (from gide) - Be willing/bothered to: Jeg gider ikke vente (I cannot be bothered to wait).

3. Word Order and Negation
In a main clause, the modal verb follows the V2 rule. If you use ikke, it follows the modal: Jeg kan ikke svømme.

However, in a subordinate clause (starting with words like fordi or at), the negation moves before the modal verb: ...fordi jeg ikke kan svømme.

4. Omitting the Main Verb
A characteristic feature of Danish is that the main verb is often dropped if it implies movement and a destination is mentioned.
Example: Jeg skal hjem (I am going home) instead of Jeg skal gå hjem.

Examples (5)

  1. Jeg kan tale dansk.

    I can speak Danish.

    Word by Word: I can speak Danish.

    Here 'kan' expresses ability. Notice there is no 'at' before 'tale'.

  2. Vi skal spise klokken seks.

    We are going to eat at six o'clock.

    Word by Word: We shall eat clock-the six.

    'Skal' is used here for a planned future event.

  3. Du må ikke ryge her.

    You must not smoke here.

    Word by Word: You must not smoke here.

    'Må' combined with 'ikke' expresses a prohibition (must not).

  4. Jeg vil gerne købe et æble.

    I would like to buy an apple.

    Word by Word: I will gladly buy an apple.

    'Vil gerne' is the standard way to express 'would like' in Danish.

  5. Man bør læse lektier.

    One should do homework.

    Word by Word: One ought read lessons.

    'Bør' expresses a moral obligation or a piece of advice.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'at' with a modal verb.

    Jeg vil at sove.
    Jeg vil sove.

    Unlike English 'want to', the Danish 'vil' (and all other modals) never takes 'at'.

  • Distinguishing explicit permission from a broader can-question.

    Different MeaningKan jeg gå på toilettet?
    Må jeg gå på toilettet?

    Må asks explicitly for permission. Kan can also make a permission request in everyday speech, as well as asking about ability or possibility, so Kan jeg gå på toilettet is not a grammar error.

  • Misplacing the negation 'ikke'.

    Jeg kan svømme ikke.
    Jeg kan ikke svømme.

    In a main clause, the negation 'ikke' must come after the modal verb and before the main verb.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Modal Verb ConstructionLevel 2

Learn This First

To learn modal verb constructions, you first need a solid grasp of basic Danish word order and how the infinitive form works. Since modal verbs are auxiliary verbs, they follow specific placement rules, especially when using negation with 'ikke', where the main verb is pushed to the end of the clause.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

And 2 more in the full list.

Words in This Pattern

kunneskullevillemåtteburdeturde