Kunnen, mogen, moeten, willen, zullen or zouden: the difference
When do we use which modal verb and how do you conjugate these verbs?
Let's take a stereotype fairy tale. The prince wants to dance with a girl. The most logic question in this situation would be Wil je met me dansen?. But what if we replace wil by another verb?
Willen
willen: to want
- Do you want to dance with me?
- I'm not in the mood to dance. I don't want it.
| presens | imperfectum | |
|---|---|---|
| ik | wil | wilde, wou |
| jij | wil, wilt | |
| u | wilt | |
| hij | wil | |
| wij jullie zij |
willen | wilden, wouden |
| perfectum | |
|---|---|
| ik | heb gewild |
The forms jij wil, wou and wouden are less formal.
Kunnen
kunnen: to can, to be able
- Can you (are you able to) dance with me?
- No, I can't.
| presens | imperfectum | |
|---|---|---|
| ik | kan | kon |
| jij | kan, kunt | |
| u | kunt, kan | |
| hij | kan | |
| wij jullie zij | kunnen | konden |
| perfectum | |
|---|---|
| ik | heb gekund |
Kan je? and Kun je? are both correct.
Mogen
mogen: to may, to be allowed
- Are you allowed to dance with me?
- Hi mum, a prince wants to dance with me. Do you think that's okay? - Sorry, my mother doesn't allow me to dance...
| presens | imperfectum | |
|---|---|---|
| ik | mag | mocht |
| jij | ||
| u | ||
| hij | ||
| wij jullie zij | mogen | mochten |
| perfectum | |
|---|---|
| ik | heb gemogen |
Moeten
moeten: to must, to have to, to be obliged
- Do you have to dance with me?
- Yes, I have to dance with you. It's in my contract.
| presens | imperfectum | |
|---|---|---|
| ik | moet | moest |
| jij | ||
| u | ||
| hij | ||
| wij jullie zij | moeten | moesten |
| perfectum | |
|---|---|
| ik | heb gemoeten |
Zullen
zullen: to will (future)
- Will you dance with me?
- Let's have look... in 2029 we will dance together.
| presens | |
|---|---|
| ik | zal |
| jij | zal, zult |
| u | zult, zal |
| hij | zal |
| wij jullie zij | zullen |
Zal je? and Zul je? are both correct.
Zouden
zouden: would (conditional)
zouden willen = would
zouden moeten = should
zouden kunnen = could
- Would you dance with me, if I were a prince?
- No! Even if you were a prince, I wouldn't dance with you!
| imperfectum | |
|---|---|
| ik | zou |
| jij | |
| u | |
| hij | |
| wij jullie zij | zouden |