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Modal verbs are also called helping or auxiliary verbs. They are used with other verbs to complete the meaning of the sentence. Some modal verbs use the simple past/preterite tense instead of the present perfect to express the past tense, just like wees which has a past form of was.
be able to / can | kan | may / be allowed to | mag |
could | kon | would like | wil graag |
have to / must | moet | would rather | sal liewer |
must not / don't | moenie | had better | moet liewer / beter |
had to | moes | dare | durf |
don't have / don't need to | hoef nie | think | dink |
want to | wil | thought | dag / dog |
wanted to | wou | thought (of someone) | het...gedink |
will | sal | need | het...nodig |
would | sou | should / ought to | behoort |
The modals kan, mag, moet, wil, and sal do not require om te before an infinitive, but behoort, durf, and hoef do require te only.
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