Modal Verb + Infinitive at End

German sentences love the number two. In a standard statement, the verb is the second element. When you use a modal verb, it takes that second spot. Modal verbs are "helper" verbs. They change the mood of the sentence. They talk about ability, permission, or desire. Because the modal verb is in position two, it is the boss. It gets conjugated to match the subject. The main action verb loses its power. It becomes an infinitive. Then, it moves to the end of the sentence. It stays there like a patient puppy. It does not change its form. It always ends in -en or -n. This creates a frame around your sentence. We call this the Satzklammer or sentence bracket.

1. 1Building these sentences is like playing with Lego blocks. Just follow these four steps:
2. 2Pick your subject (e.g., Ich, Du, Wir).
3. 3Choose a modal verb (e.g., können, müssen, wollen).
4. 4Conjugate that modal verb for your subject.
5. 5Put the main action verb at the very end in its basic form.
6. 6Let's look at a real example. Subject: Er. Modal: müssen (must). Action: arbeiten (to work). Sentence: Er muss heute bis spät in der Nacht arbeiten. See how muss is in position two? See how arbeiten is at the end? Everything else is squeezed in the middle. It is a very tidy system. Just don't forget that final verb!

You will use this pattern every single day. Imagine you are at a busy cafe in Berlin. You want to order. You say: Ich möchte einen Kaffee trinken. You are using möchte (would like). The action trinken goes to the end. Or maybe you are lost in Munich. You ask a local: Kannst du mir helfen? (Can you help me?). Again, helfen is at the end. In a job interview, you might say: Ich kann sehr gut Deutsch sprechen. It shows what you are capable of doing. You use it for rules too. Man darf hier nicht rauchen (One is not allowed to smoke here). It is the backbone of daily communication. Whether you are asking for directions or expressing a dream, you need this.

Do not use this pattern if there is no modal verb. If you just want to say "I swim," it is simply Ich schwimme. The verb stays in position two. Also, avoid this if you are using two main verbs without a helper. For example, "I go eat" is a bit different in German. You also don't use the infinitive at the end if the modal verb stands alone. Sometimes Germans skip the final verb if it is obvious. Ich kann Deutsch (I can [speak] German). But as a beginner, keep the verb there. It is safer and clearer. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Only go to the end when the modal verb gives you the green light.

The biggest mistake is conjugating both verbs. You might want to say Ich kann schwimme. This is wrong. Only the modal verb changes. The end verb must be schwimmen. Another mistake is putting the verb too early. English speakers often say Ich kann schwimmen heute. This sounds very "foreign" to German ears. The verb schwimmen must be the very last word. Even if the sentence is twenty words long, the verb waits. Don't let the verb sneak back to the middle! It belongs at the finish line. It is like a race. The main verb is the one holding the ribbon at the end.

This pattern looks like the future tense or the perfect tense. In the future (Ich werde essen), the helper werden is in position two. The main verb essen is at the end. It is the same structure! If you learn modal verbs now, you are winning. You are learning the logic for future lessons. However, compare this to a simple sentence: Ich esse Pizza. Here, esse is the star. It stays in the middle. With a modal, esse becomes essen and moves. It is like a dance. The modal verb leads, and the main verb follows to the back of the room.