The table below shows the main objective meanings of the modal verbs.
| modal verb |
dürfen
|
können
|
mögen
|
müssen
|
sollen
|
wollen
|
||||||
| permission |
IND
|
KII
|
IND
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| prohibition |
IND
|
|
IND
|
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|
|
|
| (im-)possibility |
|
|
IND
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (in-)ability |
|
|
IND
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| wish |
|
|
|
|
|
KII
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
KII
|
| liking / dislike |
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| necessity |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
KII
|
IND
|
|
IND
|
|
| lack of necessity |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|
|
|
|
|
| request/demand |
IND
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|
IND
|
KII
|
IND
|
|
IND
|
|
| advice / recommendation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|
|
KII
|
|
|
| proposal |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
KII
|
IND
|
|
| requirement |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
KII
|
|
|
| will, intention |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|
| aim / purpose |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|
|
|
| question / doubt |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
KII
|
|
|
| future |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|
IND
|
|
| indirect request |
|
|
|
|
|
KI/II
|
|
|
|
KI/II
|
|
|
| concession |
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The table below shows the main subjective meanings of the modal verbs.
| modal verb |
dürfen
|
können
|
mögen
|
müssen
|
sollen
|
wollen
|
||||||
| supposition |
|
KII
|
IND
|
KII
|
|
|
IND
|
KII
|
|
|
|
|
| reporting a statement "without certainty" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|
|
|
| reporting one's personal assertion of oneself |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IND
|
|