Modal Verbs

A Modal Verb is a type of helping (auxiliary) verb that is used to express ability, possibility, permission or obligation.

Modal Verb वह सहायक क्रिया है जो क्षमता, सम्भावना, आज्ञा या जिम्मेदारी को प्रकट करती है।

Modal verbs are following:

• Can
• Could
• May
• Might
• Must
• Ought to
• Shall
• Should
• Will
• Would

Can

Can is a modal verb which is used to show capacity, possibility and permission. For example:

Use of Can to express Capacity or ability –

• क्या तुम अच्छी अंग्रेजी बोल सकते हो ?

Can you speak good English?

• मेरा बेटा अच्छा क्रिकेट खेल सकता है।
  My son can play good cricket.

Use of Can to express possibility –

• यदि आप मेहनत करे तो सब कुछ पा सकते हैं।
  You can achieve everything if you work hard.

Use of Can to show permission –

• तुम अन्दर आ सकते हो।
  You can come inside.

Use of Cannot

Use of cannot expresses prohibition (निषेध). For example:

• मै अब उसके ताने नहीं सह सकती।
  I cannot tolerate his comments now.

• मै 100 किलो वजन नहीं उठा सकता।
  I cannot lift 100 Kg. weight.

Could

Could is used to show possibility and capacity in past.

Use of could to express capacity in past –

• में बिना चश्मे के एक अक्षर भी नहीं पढ़ सका।
  I could not read even a letter without glasses.

Use of could to express possibility in past –

• यदि वह पूरी कोशिश करता तो सफल हो सकता था।
  If he had tried fully, he could have succeeded.

Use of could to take humble permission in present –

• क्या आप मुझे ताजमहल का रास्ता बता सकते है?
  Could you tell the way to the Tajmahal?

May

May is used to express wishes (शुभकामनाये) and to express possibilities.

Use of May to express wishes –

• भगवान तुम्हारी सारी इच्छाएं पूरी करे !
  May God fulfill all your desires!

• भगवान तुम्हे लम्बी उम्र दे !
  May you live long!

Use of May to express possibility and permission –

• क्या में अंदर आ सकता हूँ ?
  May I come in?

• क्या में बैठ सकता हूँ ?
  May I sit down?

Use of May in conditional sentences –

• वह कठिन परिश्रम करता है ताकि वह सफल हो सके।
  He works hard so that he may succeed in life.

Might

Might is used to show possibility in past and it is also used to express permission.

Use of Might to show possibility in past –

• उसने कहा था कि वह कभी भी आ सकता है।
  He said that he might come anytime.

Use of Might for permission –

• मैने पूछा क्या में मुंबई में अमिताभ बच्चन को देख सकता हूँ।
  I asked if I might see Amitabh Bachchan.

Note:

जब कार्य होने की सम्भावना कम होती है तब Might लगाते है। For example –

• मैं IAS की परीक्षा मे पास हो सकता हूँ।
  I might pass in IAS exam.

यदि परिस्थितया वास्तविक ना हो तब भी Might का प्रयोग किया जा सकता है। For example:

• यदि में उसको अच्छे से जानता तो में उसे कभी पैसे उधार नहीं देता।
  If I knew him better, I might not lend him money.

Must

Must is used to show something important or necessary in present or in future.

जब वाक्य में अवश्य , जरुरी, निश्चय ही आदि शब्द या भाव आये तो Must का प्रयोग करना चाहिए।

• हमे अपने स्वास्थ्य का ध्यान अवश्य रखना चाहिए।
  We must be careful for our health.

• एक नेता को ईमानदार होना चाहिए।
  A leader must be honest.

Use of Must to tell personal feelings –

• मुझे काम समय से पूरा कर लेना चाहिए।
  I must finish work on time.

Use of Must in present and future tense –

• मुझे अब जाना चाहिए। (Present Tense)
  I must go now.

• मुझे कल आना चाहिए। (Future Tense)
  I must come tomorrow.

Use of Must for imagination –

• वह अवश्य ही धनी होगा।
  He must be rich.

Use of Must for prohibition –

• हमे समय बर्बाद नहीं करना चाहिए।
  We must not waste time.

Ought to

Ought to का प्रयोग कर्तव्य या नैतिक कार्यो का बोध कराता है।  For example:

• तुम्हे बड़ों का सम्मान करना चाहिए।
  You ought to respect elders.

Use of Ought to say what is right –

• उन्हें अपनी गलती की माफ़ी मांगनी चाहिए।
  They ought to apologize for their mistakes.

Use of Ought to express what is probably true –

• शायद हम सबके लायक पैसे होंगे।
  There ought to be enough money for all of us.

Shall

Shall is used generally to make suggestions and for obligation in a very formal situation.

Use of Shall to make suggestions – 

• क्या हम चलेंगे ?
  Shall we go?

Use of Shall for obligation –

• कोई इस कमरे में नहीं आएगा।
  Nobody shall enter the room.

Should

Should is used to show obligation and duty in all tenses.

जहाँ भी किसी कार्य को करने के लिए “चाहिए ” शब्द का प्रयोग हो वहाँ Should लगाया जाता है।

Use of Should for suggestion –

• विद्यार्थियो को सुबह जल्दी उठना चाहिए।
  Students should get up early in the morning.

Use of Should to show duty –

• हमे बेसहारा लोगो की सहायता करनी चाहिए।
  We should help the helpless.

Use of Should to show condition –

• यदि आज वर्षा हुई तो आज मैच नही होगा।
  Should it rain today, there will be no match.

• संभल कर चलो कही ऐसा ना हो कि तुम गिर जाओ।
  Walk carefully lest you should fall.

Note: Should is used with following objectives:

Strange, Odd, Funny, Typical, Interesting, Surprised

For example:

• मै चकित था कि उसने ऐसी बात कही।
  I was surprised that he should say such a thing.

Will

Will is used to express capabilities, determination and to show future.

Use of Will to show future –

• वह रात्रि भोज के लिए बाहर जायेगा।
  He will go out for the dinner.

Use of Will to express capabilities –

• मैं 10 किलोमीटर तक दौडूँगा।
  I will run 10 Kilometers.

Use of Will to express determination –

• मैं निश्चित रूप से परीक्षा पास कर लूँगा।
  I will certainly clear my exam.

Would

Would is used to offer, to invite and to request.

Use of Would to offer something –

• क्या आप एक कप कॉफी लेना पसंद करेंगे ?
  Would you like a cup of coffee?

Use of Would to show request –

• क्या तुम मेरे ऊपर एक कृपा करोगी ?
  Would you do me a favor?

Use of Would to invite somebody –

• क्या आप रात्रि भोज पर आयेंगे ?
  Would you like to come to dinner?