Key language Key words Key language Grammar note: agreeing Key language Cultural note


When you're giving instructions or showing how to work something, you use müssen, to have to ... or to need to ....

Müssen is mostly followed by another verb in the infinitive, ie. the dictionary form.
Sie müssen aufpassen You must be careful
Sie müssen duschen You must have a shower
Sie müssen die Wohnung reinigen You have to clean the flat

The forms of müssen change depending on who you are talking about. It's an irregular verb and the forms are:

ich muss I have to
du musst you have to (informal)
er/sie/es muss he/she/it has to
wir/sie/Sie müssen we/they/you have to (formal)

When you're giving someone permission you use dürfen, to be allowed to....

Dürfen is followed by another verb in the infinitive, ie. the dictionary form.
Sie dürfen im Hof rauchen. You can smoke in the yard (ie. you're allowed to)
Sie dürfen hier parken. You can park here (ie. you're allowed to)

The forms of dürfen change depending on who you are talking about. It's an irregular verb and the forms are:

Ich darf Kaffee trinken. I can drink coffee (ie. I'm allowed to)
Du darfst hier essen.. You can eat here (ie. you're allowed to)
Er darf kommen. He can come (ie. he's allowed to)
Wir dürfen ausgehen. We can go out (ie. we're allowed to)

If you want to tell someone what he or she isn't allowed to do, you add nicht to the sentence. Nicht always comes immediately before the second verb.

Sie dürfen hier nicht rauchen. You can't smoke here (ie. you're not allowed to)
Ich darf nicht fahren. I can't drive (ie. I'm not allowed to)


When you want to say if someone can or is able to do something, you use können. Its forms also change depending on who you're talking about.

See also...
Irregular verbs


Is it müssen or is it dürfen? Click on 'Start the activity' and use these words correctly to finish the phrase. You'll need to drag the right one into the gap.




1. Guess the Words 2. Re-arrange the dialogue 3. Build sentences 4. Speak and Write

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