What is a modal verb?

A modal verb is a type of auxiliary, or helping, verb.  Modal verbs are used to change the overall feeling of a sentence by changing how a verb occurs. 

  For Example: 

No Modal Verb:  I eat ice cream.   Ich esse ein Eis.
With the modal verb to want:  I want to eat ice cream.Ich will ein Eis essen.

Think about what those look like...

eat ice cream

Ich esse ein Eis.		thnk of ice cream


Ich will ein Eis essen.

Modal verbs change the feeling of a sentence.

Notice how the modal verb kicks the active verb to the end of the sentence.  Remember that when you have two verbs in a sentence the first verb is conjugated and the second verb is kicked to the end with an “n” (it is moved to the end of the clause in its infinitive form).
HomeWhat is the verb wollen?