Danish Modal Verbs: kan, skal, vil, må
These four verbs express ability, obligation, desire, and permission. They're followed by an infinitive and appear in nearly every conversation.
kan— can / is able to
Jeg kan svømme.
I can swim.
Kan du hjælpe mig?
Can you help me?
Expresses ability or possibility. Also used for polite requests.
skal— shall / must / going to
Jeg skal arbejde i morgen.
I have to work tomorrow.
Vi skal til fest.
We're going to a party.
Expresses obligation, plans, or future arrangements. Stronger than 'vil'.
vil— will / want to
Jeg vil gerne have en kaffe.
I would like a coffee.
Han vil rejse til Japan.
He wants to travel to Japan.
Expresses desire or intention. 'Vil gerne' is the polite way to say 'would like'.
må— may / must
Må jeg sidde her?
May I sit here?
Du må ikke ryge her.
You must not smoke here.
Expresses permission or prohibition. 'Må ikke' means 'must not' (forbidden), not just 'may not'.
Modal + infinitive
Modal verbs are always followed by an infinitive: Jeg kan svømme, Vi skal gå. The main verb stays in its base form.