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WORD GRAMMAR
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Verb
- Conjugation in indicative
- Person and number
- Tenses
- Voice
- Mood
- Verb categories
- Valency
- Semantic categories of verbs
- Finite / non-finite verb forms
- Noun
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- Adverb
- Article
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- Preposition
- Conjunction
- Particle
- Interjection
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Verb
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SENTENCE GRAMMAR
- Clause types
- Complex clauses
- Constituents of a sentence
- Sentence structure
- Word order in a sentence
- Negation
The modal verb sollen
The modal verb sollen expresses a necessity that is the result of a request/command addressed to the verb's subject by a third party.
| Examples | request/command addressed to the subject: |
| Ich soll einkaufen gehen. | Meine Mutter sagte zu mir: "Geh einkaufen!" |
| Ich soll Sport treiben. | Mein Arzt sagte zu mir: "Treib Sport!" |
This request/command can derive not only from a person but also from something abstract, like social norms. In this case, it expresses a necessity that is attributed to moral duty or regulations.
| Examples | request/command addressed to the subject as |
| Du sollst ehrlich sein. | a moral duty |
| Man soll seinen Hund an der Leine führen. | regulation |