Modal verbs
ሞዳል ግሦች (modal verbs)
Can, could, may, might, must, have to, should, ought to, will, would and shall: small verbs that go before a main verb to add ability, permission, advice, obligation or possibility.
The form: modal + base verb
Amharic puts these meanings inside the verb or after it: መሄድ እችላለሁ, መሄድ አለብኝ, ሊዘንብ ይችላል. English puts a small separate word before the verb: I can go, I must go, it might rain. Modals are simple: they never change for he/she/it, they are followed by the base verb with no to, and they make their own questions and negatives without do.
In Amharic
አማርኛ እነዚህን ትርጉሞች በግሡ ውስጥ ወይም ከግሡ በኋላ ያስቀምጣል፦ መሄድ እችላለሁ፣ መሄድ አለብኝ፣ ሊዘንብ ይችላል። እንግሊዝኛ ደግሞ ከግሡ በፊት የተለየ ትንሽ ቃል ያስገባል፦ I can go, I must go, it might rain። ሞዳሎች ቀላል ናቸው፦ ለ he/she/it አይለወጡም፣ ከኋላቸው ያለ to መሠረታዊው ግሥ ይመጣል፣ ጥያቄና አሉታዊም ያለ do ራሳቸው ይሠራሉ።
| Form | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| + | subject + modal + base verb | She can drive. You should rest. |
| − | subject + modal + not + base verb | She can't drive. You shouldn't wait. |
| ? | modal + subject + base verb | Can she drive? Should I call? |
| short answers | Yes / No + subject + modal | Yes, she can. / No, she can't. |
| short forms | can't, couldn't, won't, wouldn't, shouldn't, mustn't | won't = will not |
| have to (not a true modal) | do / does / did + have to | Do you have to work on Sunday? |
- No -s: he can, she must, it might (never cans, musts).
- No to after the modal: must go, can swim. Only ought to and have to have to.
- Two modals never go together: will be able to, not will can.
- I can lift heavy boxes, so the warehouse job is fine for me.
- You must wear your badge at all times.
- Should I bring my Social Security card to the interview?
- We won't be home on Saturday.
- Do you have to work this weekend?
What each modal is for
Choose the modal by its job. The biggest trap is mustn't and don't have to: mustn't means it is not allowed (አይፈቀድም), don't have to means it is not necessary (አያስፈልግም). Could, would and may are more polite than can and will, so use them with a boss, a doctor or an office.
In Amharic
ሞዳሉን በሥራው ይምረጡ። ትልቁ ወጥመድ mustn't እና don't have to ናቸው፦ mustn't ማለት አይፈቀድም፣ don't have to ማለት ደግሞ አያስፈልግም ነው። could, would እና may ከ can እና will የበለጠ ትሕትና አላቸው፤ ስለዚህ ከአለቃ፣ ከሐኪም ወይም ከቢሮ ጋር ሲነጋገሩ ይጠቀሙባቸው።
| Job | Modal | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ability | can, could (past), be able to | I can speak three languages. |
| permission | can, could, may (formal) | May I sit here? You can park behind the building. |
| requests | Can you…? Could you…? Would you…? | Could you send me the schedule, please? |
| offers | Shall I…? Can I…? I'll… | Shall I carry that for you? |
| advice | should, ought to, had better | You should see a doctor. You'd better leave now. |
| obligation | must, have to | You have to renew your license every eight years. |
| no obligation | don't have to, needn't | You don't have to pay; it's free. |
| not allowed | mustn't, can't | You mustn't smoke in the building. |
| possibility | may, might, could | It might rain later. |
| sure guesses | must (sure yes), can't (sure no) | He must be tired. That can't be true. |
| future, promises | will, won't | I'll call you tonight. |
| polite wishes | would like | I'd like an appointment, please. |
- mustn't = it is forbidden. don't have to = you can choose; it is not needed.
- must often comes from the speaker or a sign; have to often comes from outside rules. In American speech have to is more common.
- shall is mostly used in offers and suggestions with I and we: Shall I…? Shall we…?
- Could you help me fill out this form?
- You don't have to bring lunch; the company provides it.
- Kids mustn't play near the pool without an adult.
- She isn't answering. She might be at work.
- You ought to save some money every month.
- Would you like some coffee?
Modals in the past
Most modals have no simple past. can becomes could or was able to; must and have to become had to. To judge or guess about the past, use modal + have + past participle: I should have called (I didn't, and that was a mistake), she might have missed the bus, he must have forgotten.
In Amharic
አብዛኞቹ ሞዳሎች ቀላል ኀላፊ የላቸውም። can ወደ could ወይም was able to ይለወጣል፤ must እና have to ወደ had to ይለወጣሉ። ስላለፈው ነገር ለመፍረድ ወይም ለመገመት modal + have + past participle ይጠቀሙ፦ I should have called (አልደወልኩም፣ ስሕተት ነበር)፣ she might have missed the bus፣ he must have forgotten።
| Now | Past | Example |
|---|---|---|
| can | could / was able to | I could read when I was five. I was able to fix it. |
| must / have to | had to | I had to work late yesterday. |
| don't have to | didn't have to | We didn't have to wait long. |
| should | should have + past participle | You should have told me. |
| may / might | might have + past participle | She might have left already. |
| must (sure) | must have + past participle | He must have taken the wrong bus. |
| can't (sure not) | can't have + past participle | They can't have seen us. |
| will | would | He said he would call. |
- must has no past form: I had to go, not I must went.
- After modal + have, always the past participle: should have gone, not should have went.
- In speech, should have sounds like “should've”, never “should of”.
- I couldn't find parking, so I was late.
- We had to show our IDs at the door.
- You should have asked for a receipt.
- The package isn't here. It might have gone to the wrong address.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| He can speak English. | Modals never take -s. | |
| You must wear a uniform. | No to after must, can, should or will; only ought to and have to have it. | |
| I will be able to come tomorrow. | Two modals cannot go together; use be able to. | |
| You don't have to bring food; lunch is free. | mustn't means it is forbidden; don't have to means it is not necessary. | |
| I had to work late yesterday. | must has no past form; use had to. | |
| Can you help me? | Modals make their own questions, without do. |
Practice
Each answer is checked as you go, with the reason. Nothing here is saved.
She ___ speak three languages.
Make a question: You can work on Saturday. → ___ you work on Saturday? (one word)
The class is free. You ___ pay.
You ___ smoke in the hospital. It's against the rules.
Yesterday I ___ work late. (past of must, two words)
___ you help me carry this box, please? (polite)
You look tired. You ___ go to bed early. (advice, one word)
The lights are off and the car is gone. They ___ be at home.
I'm not sure, but it ___ rain later. (possibility, one word)
I didn't study, and I failed the test. I ___ studied.
Offer: ___ I open the window? (one word)