Italian Modal Verbs - Potere - Volere - Dovere - Sapere

Let's review together the Italian Modal Verbs!

You download the PDF of the lesson and review on the go by clicking here!

VOLERE - to want to 

This modal verbs can be used alone or with an infinitive verb right after. 

Let’s look at some examples:

• "Voglio un caffè"
• "Voglio bere un caffè" : you are stressing the fact that you really really want to drink a coffee. It’s a strong desire for you. 

Both sentences are correct and both make it clear what you want to do. 

If you use VOLERE + an infinite you are stressing more your desire.

Here is another example (a heart felt wish)

• "Da grande voglio fare il pompiere" (When I grown up I want to be a firefighter). 

 In this case you are expressing a future project that you really hope to accomplish.

You can also use it in a question:

• "Vuoi mangiare una pizza stasera?" (do you want to eat a pizza tonight?) 

DOVERE - must / have to

This verbs expresses necessity and obligation… a duty!

In this case you are also using it when you want to give a suggestion or you are giving advice. In this case the verb needs to be followed by an infinitive verb.

Let’s look at some examples:

• "Stasera devo studiare " (this evening I have to study)
• "Se vuoi dimagrire devi fare ginnastica" (If you want to lose weight then you have to to some exercise).

POTERE - can

You will use this verb when you have the possibility to do something or when you are asking for permission to do something. You will need to use an infinitive right after it.

So you can use it to ask permission to do something… for example:

• "Posso usare la tua macchina?" (Can I use your car?) 
• “Posso andare da Giovanni?" (Can I go to Giovanni's house?) 
• "Puoi aiutarmi?" (Can you help me)
• "Posso aiutarti?" (Can I help you?)

In this last case I’m not asking permission, but i’m asking for a person’s help or i’m asking if I can do something for a person.

This verb form is very commonly used when you want to be very polite… for example:

• "Posso avere un caffè?)

 Use this question to kindly ask for a coffee!

These are the 3 basic modal verbs but on top of these there is actually another verb that can be considered a modal verb. This is the verb SAPERE.

Be careful I’m not using the verb sapere with the meaning of knowing something…let me be more clear: 

If I use SAPERE by itself in a sentence like this one:

• "Sai chi è quella ragazza?" (Do you know who that girl is?) the meaning here is to you know her… so SAI is equal to conosci… (conoscere).

BUT if I use SAPERE with an infinitive verb the meaning changes and you are actually using it to say that you are able or capable of doing something.

For example:

• "Sei capace di suonare la chitarra?"

 This sentence means…. Can you play the guitar?

 So here I’m asking if you are able to do it… if physically you know how to do it.

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