Vouloir, Pouvoir & Devoir (Modal Verbs)
The three key modal verbs + infinitive: want to, can/be able to, must/have to.
These three verbs: vouloir (want), pouvoir (can/be able to), devoir (must/have to): are called modal verbs because they are always followed by another verb in the infinitive. Together they let you express wishes, abilities, obligations, and make polite requests.
VOULOIR (to want): irregular modal verb
POLITE FORM: use VOUDRAIS (conditional: softer than the present tense, formed from the irregular stem voudr- + imperfect endings, fully taught at A2) instead of VEUX: Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît (I would like a coffee, please). 'Je veux un café' is grammatically fine but sounds abrupt: children say it. Adults in formal contexts always prefer «Je voudrais»
VOULOIR + INFINITIVE: Je veux partir (I want to leave) (I want to leave). Elle voudrait voyager (she would like to travel) (She would like to travel).
STEM CHANGES: veu- for je/tu/il (je veux (I want), il veut (he wants)), voul- for nous/vous (nous voulons (we want), vous voulez (you want)), veul- for ils (ils veulent (they want)). This is like a boot conjugation.
Common mistake: je veux (I want) in a shop or restaurant when ordering: je voudrais (I would like) or je vais prendre (I'll have).
- je veux / je voudrais — I want / I would like (more polite)
- tu veux / il veut — you want / he wants
- nous voulons — we want
- vous voulez / ils veulent — you want / they want
POUVOIR (can / to be able to): irregular modal verb
POUVOIR + INFINITIVE: Je peux venir (I can come). Tu peux m'aider (you can help me) ? (Can you help me?): intonation question, very natural.
NEGATIVE: Je ne peux pas venir (I cannot come). On ne peut pas entrer ici (we can't enter here) (We can't enter here: prohibited).
- je peux / tu peux / il peut — I can / you can / he can
- nous pouvons / vous pouvez — we can / you can
- ils peuvent — they can
- Est-ce que je peux vous aider ? — Can I help you? (shop assistant)
DEVOIR (must / to have to / to owe): irregular modal verb with multiple meanings
MEANING 1: OBLIGATION: Je dois travailler (I have to work) (I must work). Tu dois partir maintenant (you have to leave now) (You have to leave now). This is firm necessity.
DEVOIR + INFINITIVE always: je dois partir (I have to leave) (not je dois que je parte).
Common mistake: Je dois que je parte: devoir is ALWAYS followed by infinitive, never 'que + subjunctive'
- je dois / tu dois / il doit — I must / you must / he must
- nous devons / vous devez / ils doivent — we must / you must / they must
- Je dois rentrer avant minuit. — I must get home before midnight.
- Tu veux venir ? — Non, je ne peux pas, je dois travailler. — Do you want to come? — No, I can't, I have to work.