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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.
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| 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:
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| 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.
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| 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:
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| 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.
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| 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) |
© MMIX