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WORD GRAMMAR
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Verb
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Verb
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SENTENCE GRAMMAR
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The modal verb wollen
CA107
The modal verb wollen is mainly used to express a wish, a will, an intention to do something.
Examples |
Boris will Medizin studieren. |
Peter will in diesem Jahr die Prüfung machen. |
Wir wollten dir helfen. |
Ich will dich nicht stören. |
Notes on wollen - möchte
Like wollen, the modal verb mögen in the Konjunktiv II (möchte) expresses a wish, but only in the present time.
However, when we want to express a wish that refers to the past, we can only use the modal verb wollen.
Examples | time | meaning | ||||
Ich
|
möchte
|
/
|
will
|
ans Meer fahren. | present | wish |
Ich
|
wollte
|
ans Meer fahren. | past |
Wollen also expresses a wish; but it is a stronger, more intense and less polite wish than the one expressed with möchte.
Examples | intensity of wish |
Ich möchte dich sprechen. | weak |
Ich will dich sprechen. | strong |
CA107A
wollen as a full verb
wollen can also be used as a full verb. In this case, it is either
a. combined with a dass-clause, retaining the meaning of will, wish or intension.
The subject of wollen is not the subject of the dass-clause,
Examples |
subject of wollen
|
subject of the dass-clause
|
Meine Frau will, dass wir wieder auf Korfu fahren. |
meine Frau
|
wir |
Ich will nicht, dass meine Schwiegermutter mitkommt. |
ich
|
meine Schwiegermutter
|
except when the verb of the dass-clause is in the passive voice (example: Ich will, dass ich respektiert werde).
b. combined with an accusative object, expressing the subject's will or wish to get/have something.
Examples | ||
Willst du noch eine Tasse Kaffee? |
=
|
Willst du noch eine Tasse Kaffee haben? |
Sie haben keine Kinder gewollt. |
=
|
Sie haben keine Kinder haben wollen. |
CA107B
The modal verb wollen can also express necessity. When so, it is combined with a passive or Zustandspassiv infinitive and its subject is not a person.
In this function, wollen can be replaced with müssen.
Examples | ||
Das Gerät will gut gepflegt werden. |
=
|
Das Gerät muss gut gepflegt werden. |
Der Kauf einer Wohnung will gut überlegt sein. |
=
|
Der Kauf einer Wohnung muss gut überlegt sein. |
CA107C
Furthermore, wollen can be used to state a request.
The "request" expressed with wollen can vary in intensity or urgency and can range from a suggestion to a slightly threatening request.
Examples | meaning | |
Wollen wir gehen? |
=
|
suggestion |
Wir wollen gehen! |
=
|
suggestion - request |
Wollen Sie bitte einen Augenblick warten? |
=
|
polite request |
Wollen Sie Platz nehmen? |
=
|
polite but urgent request |
Willst du wohl endlich still sein! |
=
|
slightly threatening request |
CA107D
Modal verb wollen can have an inanimate subject, although only people, or maybe animals, can wish something.
The meaning expressed in this case is that of something desired or expected but not fulfilled in a satisfactory manner or not fulfilled at all. These sentences are negative.
Examples |
Die Vorstellung wollte kein Ende nehmen. |
Der Wagen will nicht anspringen. |
Die Wunde wollte nicht heilen. |
CA107E
The modal verb wollen is also used to express the future and in this function its meaning is similar to that of werden (Future I). When so, it has more of a temporal and less of a modal meaning. This usually happens in the first person singular (ich) or plural (wir).
Examples |
Wir wollen uns bemühen, künftig kürzere Artikel zu veröffentlichen. |