What are common mistakes with Les verbes modaux?

Conjugating both the modal and the following verb; forgetting irregular plural forms. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English modals (can, must, want) don't conjugate. French modals do — learners forget endings. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian modals (мочь, хотеть, должен) conjugate similarly. Good transfer. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech modals (moci, chtít, muset) conjugate. The concept transfers well.

Les verbes modaux: règles, exemples et exercices | French Grammar A1

Les verbes modaux

A1 — Verbes

Modal verbs: pouvoir, vouloir, devoir + infinitive

Can express ability, desire, and obligation using modal verbs

Modal verbs: pouvoir, vouloir, devoir + infinitive

Examples

Je peux parler français. — I can speak French.
Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît. — I would like a coffee, please.
Vous devez arriver à l'heure. — You must arrive on time.

VerbesA1

Les verbes modaux

Modal verbs: pouvoir, vouloir, devoir + infinitive

Learning Goal

Can express ability, desire, and obligation using modal verbs

Exam Skills:Production écriteProduction orale

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Je peux parler français.

I can speak French.

Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît.

I would like a coffee, please.

Vous devez arriver à l'heure.

You must arrive on time.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Les trois verbes modaux principaux expriment la capacité, le désir et l'obligation :

	pouvoir (can)	vouloir (want)	devoir (must)
je	peux	veux	dois
tu	peux	veux	dois
il/elle	peut	veut	doit
nous	pouvons	voulons	devons
vous	pouvez	voulez	devez
ils/elles	peuvent	veulent	doivent

Structure : modal conjugué + infinitif : Je peux parler français.

Politesse : Je voudrais (I would like) est plus poli que je veux (I want).

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Conjugating both the modal and the following verb; forgetting irregular plural forms. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English modals (can, must, want) don't conjugate. French modals do — learners forget endings.

Common Error Patterns

Conjugated both modal and following verb

Only conjugate the modal. The second verb stays infinitive: je peux parler (not *je peux parle).

Je peux parler français.

I can speak French.

Pouvoir (conjugated: peux) + infinitive (parler). Only the modal is conjugated.

Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît.

I would like a coffee, please.

Voudrais (conditional of vouloir) is more polite than veux. Key A1 phrase for ordering.

Vous devez arriver à l'heure.

You must arrive on time.

Devoir (devez) + infinitive expresses obligation.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

← Back to topics

Put it into practice

Try a free exercise from the course

Frequently asked questions

When is Les verbes modaux used?: Les trois verbes modaux principaux expriment la capacité, le désir et l'obligation :
How is Les verbes modaux formed?: Structure : modal conjugué + infinitif : Je peux parler français. Politesse : Je voudrais (I would like) est plus poli que je veux (I want).
What are common mistakes with Les verbes modaux?: Conjugating both the modal and the following verb; forgetting irregular plural forms. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English modals (can, must, want) don't conjugate. French modals do — learners forget endings. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian modals (мочь, хотеть, должен) conjugate similarly. Good transfer. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech modals (moci, chtít, muset) conjugate. The concept transfers well.