Modalverb: kan, vil, skal, må, bør 📕

We have five modal verbs in Norwegian: could, would, should, must and should.

Modal verbs are usually used in the present and past tense.
Modal verbs are almost always combined with another verb. After the modal verbs, we do not use the infinitive marker "å" before the next verb in the sentence.

Here you see an overview of the modal verbs:

Here are some examples of how modal verbs can be used in the present tense:
👉 A wish: I don't want to go home. = I do n't want to go home.
👉 One possibility: I don't have the opportunity to help her. = I ca n't help her.
👉 A necessity: I have to go home early from the party. = I have to go home early from the party.
👉 A plan in the future: I have a plan to eat lunch now. = I'm going to have lunch now.
👉 Something we feel we have to do, but which is not mandatory: It 's time to exercise more. = I should exercise more.

Here are some examples of how modal verbs can be used in the past tense:
👉 A wish in the past: I didn't want to go home. = I did n't want to go home.
👉 An opportunity in the past: I didn't have the opportunity to help her. = I could n't help her.
👉 A necessity in the past: I had to go home early from the party. = I had to go home early from the party.
👉 A plan in the past, something that didn't happen: I was on my way out when the phone suddenly rang. = I was about to go out when the phone suddenly rang.
👉 Something we felt we had to do, but which was not mandatory: It would probably have been wise to train more when I was younger. = I should have exercised more when I was younger.

Remember: The modal verb can also be used for skills:
👉 I ca n't cook, I always buy ready-made food.
👉 She ca n't drive, so she always takes the bus.
👉 I ca n't sing, but I sing anyway.
👉 I can (not) speak Norwegian!
👉 Can you speak Norwegian?