What modal verbs are
Modal verbs help express not only the action itself, but also the speaker’s attitude toward it: whether something is possible, necessary, desired, whether a person is able to do it, or whether they are allowed to do it. At A2 level, it is especially important to use these verbs in everyday situations: at home, at work, in shops, on transport, and in conversations with friends.
In Norwegian, the modal verb usually stands in the second position in the sentence, and the main verb after it is most often used in the infinitive without a particle.
Eksempler:
Jeg kan svømme.
Du må gå nå.
Vi vil spise hjemme.
Main modal verbs at A2 level
Below are the most common modal verbs needed for everyday communication.
kan expresses ability, possibility, and sometimes permission.
Jeg kan lage middag.
Kan jeg åpne vinduet?
må expresses necessity, obligation, or something that has to be done.
Jeg må jobbe i morgen.
Du må ringe legen.
vil expresses desire, intention, and sometimes future action.
Jeg vil lære mer norsk.
Vi vil besøke bestemor i helgen.
skal often shows a plan, arrangement, instruction, or obligation depending on the situation.
Jeg skal møte Anna klokka seks.
Du skal fylle ut dette skjemaet.
bør expresses advice or recommendation.
Du bør sove mer.
Dere bør ta bussen.
How the sentence is built
In a normal affirmative sentence, the modal verb takes the second position. After it comes the subject or another element depending on the structure, and the main verb stands in the infinitive.
Eksempler:
Jeg må dra nå.
Hun kan komme senere.
I dag skal vi vaske leiligheten.
Note that after a modal verb, the second verb is not conjugated for person and does not take a present tense ending.
Correct: Han kan snakke norsk.
Modal verbs in questions
In yes/no questions, the modal verb usually moves to the first position. This is a very common pattern for requests, offers, and clarifications.
Eksempler:
Kan du hjelpe meg?
Må vi dra nå?
Vil dere være med?
If there is a question word, it stands first, and the modal verb usually remains in second position.
Eksempler:
Når kan du komme?
Hvor skal vi møtes?
Hvorfor må han gå så tidlig?
Negation with modal verbs
The negative particle usually comes after the modal verb. This is important for natural speech.
Eksempler:
Jeg kan ikke komme i dag.
Du må ikke glemme nøklene.
Vi vil ikke spise ute.
It is important to remember that the meaning of negation depends on the verb and the situation. For example, må ikke often means prohibition or a strong warning, not simply lack of necessity.
Eksempel: Du må ikke røyke her.
The difference between må, skal and bør
These three verbs are often similar in meaning, but there are important differences.
må is used when there is necessity or obligation.
Jeg må betale regningen i dag.
skal is often used for plans, arrangements, official instructions, or something already decided.
Vi skal ha møte klokka ni.
Du skal ta denne medisinen hver kveld.
bør sounds softer and expresses advice.
Du bør drikke mer vann.
In short: må means something is necessary, skal means something is planned or prescribed, and bør means something is advisable.
The difference between kan and får
At A2 level, it is useful to distinguish between possibility and permission. The verb kan often refers to ability or general possibility. In spoken language, it is also sometimes used for polite requests or asking permission. However, for the clear meaning of “is allowed to,” the verb får is also common.
Eksempler:
Jeg kan svømme.
Kan jeg låne stolen?
Barnet får se på TV etter middag.
In this lesson, the main goal is to use kan confidently in everyday dialogues, but it is also useful to recognize constructions with får.
vil as desire and intention
The verb vil is very common in spoken language. It can mean desire, willingness, or intention to do something. Sometimes it also helps express future meaning, especially when talking about a person’s decision.
Eksempler:
Jeg vil gjerne bestille et bord.
Hun vil lære å kjøre bil.
Vi vil reise tidlig i morgen.
The form vil gjerne is especially useful in polite speech.
Eksempel: Jeg vil gjerne ha en kaffe.
Modal verbs in everyday situations
In everyday speech, modal verbs help you sound natural and precise. Below are several typical situations.
Request:
Kan du lukke døra?
Kan jeg få kvitteringen?
Obligation:
Jeg må stå opp tidlig i morgen.
Vi må rydde kjøkkenet.
Plan:
Jeg skal til tannlegen på fredag.
De skal flytte neste måned.
Advice:
Du bør ta med jakke.
Dere bør bestille billetter snart.
Desire:
Jeg vil bare slappe av i kveld.
Barna vil leke ute.
Word order with inversion
Since previous lessons in the course have already introduced normal word order, it is important here to see how modal verbs behave in inversion. If a sentence begins not with the subject but with a time or place expression, the modal verb still remains in second position, and the subject comes after it.
Eksempler:
I morgen må jeg jobbe hjemme.
Etter middag skal vi handle.
På lørdag vil han besøke foreldrene sine.
This rule is especially important for natural spoken Norwegian at A2 level.
Brief notes on time reference
Modal verbs are very often combined with the present tense when talking about near-future plans, rules, or usual situations. Even if the action refers to the future, the form can remain simple and be understood from context.
Eksempler:
Jeg skal jobbe i morgen.
Vi må dra om fem minutter.
Hun vil ringe deg senere.
At this stage, it is important not to translate every form literally, but to understand its communicative function: obligation, plan, desire, advice, or possibility.
Typical difficulties
One of the most common mistakes is putting the second verb into a finite form. After a modal verb, you need the infinitive.
Eksempel: Jeg kan komme.
Another difficulty is confusing the strength of meaning. bør is advice, while må is necessity. If you use må where a soft recommendation is intended, the sentence will sound too strong.
It is also important to remember that in questions, the modal verb often comes before the subject.
Eksempel: Kan du vente litt?
Lesson summary
In this lesson, you became familiar with the main modal verbs of everyday speech: kan, må, vil, skal, and bør. You saw how they are used for requests, obligations, plans, advice, permission, and expressing desire. You also reviewed word order, questions, negation, and inversion with modal verbs.
The next step is to learn to notice shades of meaning in real dialogues and confidently choose the right modal verb for the situation.