If you’ve been learning Dutch for a while, you’ve probably noticed five small but mighty verbs that seem to pop up everywhere:
- Ik kan Nederlands spreken.
- Je moet morgen werken.
- We mogen hier parkeren.
- Ze wil naar huis.
- Ik zal later bellen.
They look simple, yet they completely change the meaning of a sentence. Without them, Dutch would sound flat and incomplete.
These are modal verbs, and they’re among the most powerful tools in the Dutch language. They tell you how the speaker feels about the action: whether something is possible, necessary, allowed, desired, or likely. With a single word, they can turn a plain statement into an opinion, an invitation, an obligation, or a polite request.
- Ik eet. – I eat.
- Ik moet eten. – I have to eat.
- Ik wil eten. – I want to eat.
- Ik kan eten. – I can eat.
- Ik mag eten. – I may eat.
See how much meaning one extra verb adds?
Modal verbs are everywhere in Dutch, from everyday speech (Je mag hier niet parkeren) to advanced writing (Zij zou kunnen komen). They’re used in every tense, every register, and almost every conversation. Once you understand how they work, you’ll suddenly recognize them in nearly every Dutch sentence you hear or read. That’s when the language really starts to click.
In this complete guide, you’ll learn:
- The five essential Dutch modal verbs and what they mean.
- How to conjugate them in the present and past tense.
- How to use them correctly in sentences, including word order and double infinitives.
- The subtle ways they express politeness, probability, and tone.
- And common mistakes to avoid, so your Dutch sounds natural and confident.
Whether you’re just starting to recognize patterns like ik kan, ik wil, and ik moet, or you’re an advanced learner curious about forms like zou kunnen zijn and hebben moeten werken, this guide will take you step by step from clarity to mastery.
By the end, you’ll see that modal verbs aren’t just another grammar topic; they’re the key to speaking Dutch with nuance, fluency, and confidence.
What Are Modal Verbs?
A modal verb is a helping verb that changes or modifies the meaning of another verb. It doesn’t describe an action by itself; instead, it expresses the speaker’s attitude toward that action.
Compare:
- Ik werk vandaag. → I work today.
- Ik moet vandaag werken. → I have to work today.
The main action here is werken (“to work”), but moet adds the idea of necessity. That’s the key function of modal verbs: they don’t describe what happens, but how or why it happens, whether something is possible, required, desired, allowed, or intended.
In Dutch, there are five core modal verbs, and they appear constantly in everyday speech and writing:
| Modal Verb | English Meaning | Typical Function |
|---|---|---|
| kunnen | can / to be able to | ability, possibility |
| moeten | must / to have to | obligation, necessity |
| mogen | may / to be allowed to | permission, prohibition |
| willen | to want | desire, intention |
| zullen | shall / will | future, suggestion, conditional |
Each of these verbs modifies the main verb, which always stays in the infinitive (the basic, unconjugated form) without te.
Let’s see them in action:
- Ik kan zwemmen. – I can swim. (ability)
- Je moet studeren. – You have to study. (necessity)
- We mogen hier niet parkeren. – We may not park here. (permission/prohibition)
- Zij wil leraar worden. – She wants to become a teacher. (intention/desire)
- Ik zal morgen bellen. – I will call tomorrow. (future/plan)
All of these sentences describe the same type of structure: subject + modal verb + infinitive.
This pattern is one of the most fundamental sentence structures in Dutch. Once you recognize it, you’ll start hearing it everywhere: from daily conversations to TV shows, and even written texts.
Tip:
Modal verbs often carry subtle nuances.
For example, moeten expresses an obligation, while zullen can sound like a promise (Ik zal het doen! – I’ll do it!).
Mogen can be about permission (Je mag naar buiten) or politeness (Mag ik u helpen?).
As your Dutch improves, you’ll start to feel these shades of meaning naturally.
Conjugation of Modal Verbs
Dutch modal verbs are irregular. That means their stems change in the present tense and their past tense forms often look quite different from what learners expect. The good news? They follow clear, recognizable patterns once you’ve seen them a few times.
Let’s look at each one.
Present Tense Forms
Here’s how the five main modal verbs conjugate in the present tense:
| Verb | ik | jij / je | hij / zij | wij / jullie / zij | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kunnen | kan | kunt | kan | kunnen | can / to be able to |
| moeten | moet | moet | moet | moeten | must / to have to |
| mogen | mag | mag | mag | mogen | may / to be allowed to |
| willen | wil | wilt | wil | willen | to want |
| zullen | zal | zult | zal | zullen | shall / will |
Notice how most forms are short and strong; one syllable in the singular, longer again in the plural (wij kunnen, wij moeten). You’ll also see that jij/je and hij/zij often share the same form.
Examples in Sentences
- Ik kan goed zwemmen. – I can swim well. (ability)
- Je moet vroeg opstaan. – You have to get up early. (necessity)
- Hij mag vanavond niet uitgaan. – He is not allowed to (lit. “he may not”) go out tonight. (permission/prohibition)
- We willen Nederlands leren. – We want to learn Dutch. (desire/intention)
- Ik zal morgen komen. – I will come tomorrow. (future/promise)
Each modal verb adds a layer of meaning to the main verb (zwemmen, opstaan, uitgaan, leren, komen). And remember: that second verb always stays in the infinitive or unconjugated form. No te needed.
Past Tense Forms
To talk about the past, Dutch modal verbs also use special irregular forms. Here’s a quick overview:
| Present | Past | English |
|---|---|---|
| kan | kon | could / was able to |
| moet | moest | had to |
| mag | mocht | was allowed to |
| wil / wou / wilde | wilde / wou | wanted |
| zal | zou | would / should |
A few things to notice:
- The past forms often change the vowel: kan → kon, mag → mocht.
- Wilde and wou are both used for willen.
- Wou is very common in Flanders and in informal speech in the Netherlands.
- Wilde is the standard form used in writing and formal contexts.
- Both are perfectly understood everywhere.
- Zou (from zullen) is used for the conditional, similar to “would” in English.
Examples in the Past Tense
- Ik kon vroeger goed schaatsen. – I could skate well when I was younger.
- We moesten lang wachten. – We had to wait a long time.
- Hij mocht gisteren niet mee. – He wasn’t allowed to come yesterday.
- Zij wilde / wou leraar worden. – She wanted to become a teacher.
- Ik zou het later doen. – I would do it later.
Tip:
Modal verbs are among the few irregular verbs you’ll use all the time in both tenses, so it’s worth memorizing their past forms early. They also combine with other verbs in the infinitive, which means you’ll see them often in double infinitive constructions like ik heb moeten werken or we zouden kunnen gaan. (We’ll cover those in a later section)
The Meanings of Dutch Modal Verbs
Dutch modal verbs express what the speaker thinks or feels about an action; whether it’s possible, necessary, allowed, desired, or intended. Each modal adds a specific shade of meaning. Let’s look at them one by one, with clear examples and a few nuances that even advanced learners will find useful.
Kunnen: Ability and Possibility
Core meaning:
Kunnen expresses ability (“to be able to”) or possibility (“can / might”).
Examples:
- Ik kan goed koken. – I can cook well.
- We kunnen morgen afspreken. – We can meet tomorrow.
- Het kan regenen. – It might rain.
Polite use:
- Kan ik u helpen? – May I help you? (very common in shops and polite service language)
Key difference:
Kunnen can mean both can (ability) and may/might (possibility). The context decides which meaning fits.
Compare:
- Ze kan heel goed zingen. – She can sing very well. (ability)
- Het kan zijn dat ze te laat is. – It might be that she’s late. (possibility)
Moeten: Necessity and Obligation
Core meaning:
Moeten expresses necessity, duty, or moral obligation; similar to “must” or “have to.”
Examples:
- Ik moet vandaag werken. – I have to work today.
- Je moet dit zien! – You have to see this!
Negative form with hoeven:
In negative sentences, Dutch usually replaces moeten with hoeven + te + infinitive. This is one of the most common learner traps, so it’s worth mastering early.
Examples:
- Je hoeft niet te komen. – You don’t have to come.
- Ik hoef dat niet te doen. – I don’t need to do that.
Deduction or certainty:
In some contexts, moeten expresses strong certainty. The speaker is confident something is true:
- Dat moet Jan zijn. – That must be Jan.
Mogen: Permission and Prohibition
Core meaning:
Mogen expresses permission or prohibition, i.e. what’s allowed or not allowed.
Examples:
- Je mag hier parkeren. – You are allowed to park here.
- Je mag dat niet doen. – You’re not allowed to do that.
Polite requests:
- Mag ik even binnenkomen? – May I come in?
- Mag ik u iets vragen? – May I ask you something?
Contrast with kunnen:
Both mogen and kunnen can translate as “can” in English, but the nuance is different.
- Mag ik hier roken? – Is it permitted to smoke here? (permission)
- Kan ik hier roken? – Is it possible to smoke here? (practical possibility)
Note:
When teaching or learning Dutch, it helps to associate mogen with rules or permission and kunnen with ability or possibility.
Willen: Desire and Intention
Core meaning:
Willen expresses desire, intention, or volition, i.e. “to want (to).”
Examples:
- Ik wil een koffie. – I want a coffee.
- Zij wil lerares worden. – She wants to become a teacher.
Polite or softened forms:
Dutch often uses graag to make willen more polite or less direct.
- Ik wil graag een koffie. – I’d like a coffee.
- Ik zou graag komen. – I would like to come. (conditional with zou, see below)
Emotional nuance:
When used with maar niet, the verb willen can express refusal or stubbornness:
- Hij wil maar niet luisteren. – He simply refuses to listen.
Zullen: Future, Conditional, and Suggestion
Core meaning:
Zullen is a flexible modal used for the future, polite offers, or conditional statements.
Examples:
- Ik zal morgen bellen. – I’ll call tomorrow.
- Zullen we wandelen? – Shall we go for a walk?
Conditional and polite forms (zou):
The past form zou is often used for hypothetical or polite situations.
- Ik zou dat niet doen. – I wouldn’t do that.
- Zou je me kunnen helpen? – Could you help me?
Inference or assumption:
Sometimes zullen expresses probability or assumption.
- Dat zal wel waar zijn. – That’s probably true.
Tip:
Zullen is rarely used for the simple future the way English “will” is. Dutch usually just uses the present tense for near-future plans:
- Ik ga morgen naar school. (I’m going to school tomorrow.)
But zullen adds intention, promise, or a sense of formality:
- Ik zal morgen op tijd zijn. (I will be on time.)
Word Order with Modal Verbs
Word order is one of the trickiest aspects of Dutch grammar, and modal verbs are no exception. The good news is that they follow the same fundamental logic as other verbs: the conjugated verb comes second (V2 rule), and the other verb goes to the end of the clause.
Let’s take a look step by step.
Main clauses: verb in second position (V2 rule)
In Dutch, the finite verb, i.e. the one that’s conjugated, always appears in second position. When you use a modal verb, that modal is the finite verb, and the main verb (the action verb) stays in the infinitive form at the end of the clause.
Examples:
- Ik moet morgen werken. → I have to work tomorrow.
- Zij kan goed zingen. → She can sing well.
- Wij willen op tijd vertrekken. → We want to leave on time.
- Je mag hier niet parkeren. → You may not park here / You’re not allowed to park here.
- Hij zal het wel begrijpen. → He will probably understand.
If you move another element, for example a time expression, to the front, the modal still stays in second position:
- Morgen moet ik werken. → Tomorrow I have to work.
- Vandaag wil ik studeren. → Today I want to study.
Subordinate clauses: modal and infinitive at the end
When you introduce a subordinate clause with words like omdat, dat, als, or wanneer, the conjugated verb moves to the end of the clause. If there’s also an infinitive (as there is with modal verbs), both verbs go together at the end.
Examples:
- Ik denk dat ik morgen moet werken. → I think that I have to work tomorrow.
- Ze zei dat ze niet kon komen. → She said that she couldn’t come.
- We weten dat hij het niet wil doen. → We know that he doesn’t want to do it.
- Hij vroeg of hij daar mocht parkeren. → He asked if he was allowed to park there.
- Ze hopen dat we zullen winnen. → They hope that we will win.
Notice that in all these cases, the conjugated modal moves to the end, directly before or after the main infinitive.
Compound tenses and the double infinitive structure
Things get more interesting in compound tenses when you use an auxiliary (hebben or zijn) together with a modal verb. In these cases, Dutch often keeps both the modal and the main verb in the infinitive form, creating what’s known as the double infinitive structure.
Examples:
- Ik heb moeten werken. → I had to work.
- Hij heeft niet kunnen komen. → He wasn’t able to come.
- We hebben mogen blijven. → We were allowed to stay.
- Ze heeft willen helpen. → She wanted to help.
- Hij zal kunnen komen. → He will be able to come.
This structure may look unusual to English speakers, because English typically conjugates the first verb (e.g. I have had to work), while Dutch leaves both infinitives unchanged.
How to recognize the pattern
A simple way to remember the structure is this:
The conjugated verb always comes near the beginning of the sentence, while the other verbs — the modal and the main verb — go together at the end.
In other words, the first verb carries the tense, and the last two verbs stay in their infinitive form.
Examples:
- Ik heb moeten werken. → I had to work.
- Ze heeft willen helpen. → She wanted to help.
- We zullen moeten vertrekken. → We will have to leave.
Tip: whenever you see a sentence with more than one verb, ask yourself
- Which verb is showing the tense (heb, is, zal…)?
- Which verbs describe the action (moeten, werken, vertrekken…)?
The first one gets conjugated; the others stay infinitives and move to the end together.
Side note: why Dutch does this
The double infinitive is a feature inherited from older stages of Germanic grammar. It appears not only in Dutch but also in German (e.g. Ich habe arbeiten müssen). The logic is that when a modal verb accompanies another verb, both represent a single, linked idea. That’s why Dutch keeps them side by side at the end rather than breaking them up.
Modal Verbs and Politeness
Modal verbs are not just about grammar. They are also one of the most effective tools for sounding polite, tactful, or diplomatic in Dutch. In everyday communication, Dutch speakers use modals to soften requests, express respect, and keep interactions friendly without sounding stiff or overly formal.
Let’s look at how this works in practice.
Direct vs. polite requests
If you ask for something using only the modal verb in the present tense, it sounds direct and practical:
- Kan ik u helpen? – Can I help you?
- Mag ik u iets vragen? – May I ask you something?
These are already polite and commonly heard in shops, cafés, and customer service, especially when using u (the formal “you”). But you can make them sound even more courteous or gentle by moving into the conditional or by adding small softeners like graag and even.
Using zou and kunnen for extra politeness
The conditional zou (“would”) immediately makes a sentence sound more careful and polite. When combined with kunnen or mogen, it creates natural, friendly requests:
- Zou u even kunnen wachten? – Could you wait a moment, please?
- Zou ik u mogen bellen? – May I call you?
- Zou je me kunnen helpen? – Could you help me?
The same request without zou (Kan je me helpen?) is perfectly fine among friends or equals, but Zou je me kunnen helpen? feels softer. It’s basically the Dutch equivalent of saying “Would you mind helping me?”
The magic of graag and even
Two of the most common softeners in Dutch are graag (“gladly, please”) and even (“for a moment, briefly”).
- Ik zou graag betalen. – I’d like to pay.
- Mag ik even binnenkomen? – May I come in for a moment?
- Kan ik even iets vragen? – Can I ask something quickly?
Graag adds warmth and willingness; even makes a request feel light and temporary. It’s as if you’re saying, “This won’t take long.” Both are used constantly by native speakers, and mastering them makes your Dutch instantly more natural.
Cultural insight: the Dutch balance between direct and polite
Dutch communication is famously direct, but that doesn’t mean it’s rude. Politeness in Dutch often relies on tone and phrasing rather than elaborate formulas. By using conditional forms (zou kunnen, zou mogen), and adding words like graag, even, or alstublieft, you show respect in a natural way without losing the straightforwardness Dutch people value.
Compare:
- Ik wil betalen. – I want to pay. (neutral, can sound blunt)
- Ik wil graag betalen. – I’d like to pay. (polite, friendly)
- Ik zou graag betalen. – I would like to pay. (even more courteous)
Each form is grammatically correct, but the tone shifts from practical to polite to warmly formal.
Tip: if you want to sound friendly in Dutch, learn to combine modals like kunnen, mogen, and zullen with zou, graag, and even. These small additions make a big difference in how your Dutch comes across: polite, confident, and authentically natural.
Four Common Mistakes to Avoid with Dutch Modal Verbs
Even advanced learners sometimes stumble when using modal verbs in Dutch. The rules themselves are straightforward, but small differences from English can easily cause confusion. Let’s look at the most frequent mistakes and how to fix them.
1. Adding “te” after a modal verb
Wrong: Ik kan te zwemmen.
Correct: Ik kan zwemmen.
Explanation: in Dutch, modal verbs are always followed directly by the infinitive without te. The modal already links the verbs together, so te is unnecessary. Only when hoeven is used do you need te:
- Je hoeft niet te komen. → You don’t have to come.
2. Using moeten instead of hoeven in negatives
Wrong: Je moet niet komen.
Correct: Je hoeft niet te komen.
Explanation: this is one of the most common learner mistakes. In Dutch, moeten means must or have to, and moet niet would literally mean you must not (a prohibition). To say you don’t have to, use hoeven + te + infinitive.
Compare:
- Je moet niet komen. → You must not come. (forbidden)
- Je hoeft niet te komen. → You don’t have to come. (optional)
3. Inserting dat between the modal and the infinitive
Wrong: Ik wil dat ik ga.
Correct: Ik wil gaan.
Explanation: modal verbs connect directly to the infinitive. You never use dat between them. In the incorrect version, dat introduces a subordinate clause, breaking the structure.
4. Conjugating the second verb in compound tenses
Wrong: Ik heb gekund zwemmen.
Correct: Ik heb kunnen zwemmen.
Explanation: when modal verbs appear in the perfect tense, Dutch keeps both the modal and the main verb in the infinitive form. This is called the double infinitive structure.
More examples:
- Ik heb moeten werken. → I had to work.
- We hebben mogen blijven. → We were allowed to stay.
- Hij heeft willen helpen. → He wanted to help.
If you conjugate the second verb (gewerkt, gezwommen) after a modal, it sounds unnatural and incorrect in standard Dutch.
Summary & Key Takeaways
Modal verbs are one of the cornerstones of fluent Dutch. With just a single extra word, they allow you to express ability, necessity, permission, desire, and intention. These are the subtle shades that make your Dutch sound real and expressive.
The five core modal verbs are: kunnen, moeten, mogen, willen, and zullen.
A few golden rules to keep in mind:
- Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without te: Ik kan zwemmen. / Je moet studeren.
- They are irregular in the present and past, so pay attention to their unique stems.
- In compound tenses, Dutch uses the double infinitive at the end: Ik heb moeten werken.
- The zou-forms add politeness, conditional meaning, or softening: Ik zou graag komen.
- Modals also shape tone and register, helping you sound both confident and courteous in Dutch.
Mastering these five verbs gives you an incredible amount of flexibility in everyday conversation. Once you start noticing them, you’ll realize they’re everywhere. They may be small words, but they carry a big part of how Dutch speakers express nuance and intention.
Free PDF: Modal Verbs Cheat Sheet
Want a clear overview of all five Dutch modal verbs with conjugation tables, examples, and common mistakes? Download my Dutch Modal Verbs Cheat Sheet here or visit the Free Downloads page for your copy.