Modal Perfect: hunn + Two Infinitives

Perfect of Modal Verbs: Hunn + Two Infinitives

Level 3

The perfect of a modal uses hunn and two infinitives: Ech hu misse schaffen. (I had to work.) The modal comes first.

How It Works

1. The pattern
In the perfect, a modal verb normally has a participle only when it stands alone. When it goes with another verb, it takes its infinitive form instead. The two infinitives go to the end of the clause, and the modal comes first:

  • Ech hu misse schaffen. (I had to work.)
  • Hien huet net kënne kommen. (He could not come.)
  • Mir hunn net wëlle goen. (We did not want to go.)

2. The forms

  • kënnen: hunn ... kënne(n)
  • mussen: hunn ... misse(n) or musse(n)
  • wëllen: hunn ... wëlle(n)
  • sollen: hunn ... solle(n)
  • däerfen: hunn ... däerfe(n)

The modal infinitive follows the n-rule: misse schaffen but missen op den Zuch waarden, däerfen dobausse spillen.

3. Always hunn
The auxiliary belongs to the modal, and modals take hunn. So even a verb that uses sinn in the perfect takes hunn here: Ech si gaangen, but Mir hu fréi missen heemgoen.

4. A modal on its own
Without another verb, a modal can have a normal participle: Ech hunn dat net gewollt. (I did not want that.)

5. Other ways to talk about the past
Some modals also have a simple past: Ech wollt kommen, mee ... See Simple Past of Modal Verbs. In a subordinate clause, hunn comes before the two infinitives: well ech hu misse schaffen. See Modal Perfects in Subordinate Clauses.

Examples (6)

  1. Ech hu misse schaffen.

    I had to work.

    Hunn becomes hu before m by the n-rule. Misse comes before schaffen.

  2. Hien huet net kënne kommen.

    He couldn't come.

    Kënnen loses its n before k.

  3. Mir hunn net wëlle goen.

    We didn't want to go.

    Wëllen loses its n before g.

  4. Du hues dat net solle soen.

    You weren't supposed to say that.

  5. D'Kanner hunn net däerfen dobausse spillen.

    The children weren't allowed to play outside.

    Däerfen keeps its n before d.

  6. Mir hu fréi missen heemgoen.

    We had to go home early.

    Heemgoen uses sinn on its own, but with a modal the auxiliary is hunn. Missen keeps its n before h.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the participle of the modal together with another verb.

    Hien huet net gekonnt kommen.
    Hien huet net kënne kommen.

    When the modal goes with another verb, it takes its infinitive form (kënne), not a participle.

  • Choosing sinn because the main verb is a verb of movement.

    Mir si fréi missen heemgoen.
    Mir hu fréi missen heemgoen.

    The auxiliary depends on the modal, and modals always take hunn.

  • Keeping the n of hunn before m.

    Ech hunn misse schaffen.
    Ech hu misse schaffen.

    By the n-rule, hunn loses its n before m. It keeps the n only before a vowel and before d, h, n, t and z.

How It Connects

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

Modal Perfect: hunn + Two InfinitivesLevel 3Perfect of Modal Verbs: Hunn + Two Infinitives

Learn This First

Before Perfect of Modal Verbs: Hunn + Two Infinitives, learn Perfect Tense With Hunn and Modal Verb and Infinitive.

Words in This Pattern

hunnmussenkënnenwëllen