The German verb dürfen usually baffles college students. They surprise tips on how to translate it into English and the way it’s utilized in German. This weblog submit goals to reply each questions.

Dürfen is one among six modal verbs within the German language. It’s extensively translated into English as “might” but not at all times utilized in fairly the identical means because the English verb, or “to be allowed to”. The 2 most typical methods of utilizing the verb are in well mannered requests and permissions. Let’s take a look at some examples.

Darf ich kurz das Fenster öffnen?

(Might I shortly open the window)

Darf ich Ihnen noch ein Glas Wein einschenken?

(Might I give you a top-up on your wine)

Sie dürfen die Braut nun küssen

(You could now kiss the bride)

Hier darf man nicht rauchen

(One just isn’t allowed to smoke right here)

Issues get a bit extra sophisticated when dürfen is used with a negation. It then takes on a the which means of ethical or social obligation to not do one thing, just like the English “should not”.

Wir dürfen es nicht zulassen, dass Juden wieder verfolgt werden.

(We should not enable for jews to be persecuted once more)

Oddly, in customer support interactions at, say, a grocery store dürfen is utilized in otherwise but once more. When a shopkeeper asks you: “Darf es sonst noch etwas sein?” She or he is asking if there may be the rest they’ll give you or assist you to with. So, because the final two examples indicated, the German verb dürfen just isn’t fairly the identical because the English might, although the 2 regularly overlap.

Different modal verbs which can be normally complicated for German learners are möchten and mögen in German and the distinction between the English should and the German müssen.