Verbele modale

Verbele modale – modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, have to, should)

Modalele nu primesc –s la persoana a III-a singular. I can swim. Helen can swim.

Modalele au mai multe intelesuri. Intelesul lor depinde de context:

Unele modale au acelasi inteles in acelasi context:I have to go. I must go.

Forma negativa are intelesuri diferite:I don’t have to go. (It’s not necessary.)I mustn’t go. (It’s not allowed – nu este permis.)

Unele modale au mici diferente de sens:I have to wear a suit and tie. (This is a rule – este o regula)I should wear a suit and tie. (Nu este o regula, dar oamenii se asteapta ca eu sa port costum si cravata. Dar am posibilitatea de a alege – depinde de mine daca ma imbrac la costum sau nu).

Can: ability and possibility

Exprima abilitatea si posibilitateaCan you ride a bike? No. (nu stiu cum sa merg pe bicicleta)Sorry, but I can’t come to your party on Friday. (Nu este posibil)I can’t lift this table. (Este imposibil din punct de vedere fizic)

Can + verb la infinitiv scurt (fara to): I can swim.

Nu isi schimba forma, indiferent de persoana.

Must, have to, should: obligation

Must (trebuie sa)

Must se foloseste de obicei cand vorbim despre actiuni necesare sau importante.I must leave now. I don’t want to be late.You must remember to take our passports.

Must + verb la infinitiv scurt (fara to): I must go.

Nu isi schimba forma, indiferent de persoana.

In aceste situatii se poate folosi si have to.

Mustn’t se foloseste atunci cand ceva nu este permis (nu trebuie sa).

Have to

Have to se foloseste cand vorbim despre o regula pe care altii ne-o impun noua:We have to wear a uniform at my school. (regula)When the lights are red, you have to stop. (regula)

Pentru persoana a III-a singular (he, she, it) se foloseste has to.Paul has to do his homework now.

Must nu prea se foloseste in intrebari:I must leave at 6:00. Do I have to leave at 6:00?

Pentru forma interogativa se foloseste auxiliarul pentru present simple DO:

Don’t have to / doesn’t have to se foloseste atunci cand ceva nu este necesar.

Should (ar trebui sa)

Should exprima parerea persoanei care vorbeste in legatura cu ce ar trebui sa faca altcineva:You should ckeck your work at the end of the lesson.You should eat fruit every day.

Should + verb la infinitiv scurt (fara to): You should stay in bed.

Nu isi schimba forma, indiferent de persoana.

Folosim forma negativa should not / shouldn’t cand consideram ca este o idee rea sa faci un anumit lucru:You shouldn’t watch TV all day. (Dupa parerea mea, asta nu e o idee buna)Kate shouldn’t eat so much chocolate.

Forma de Past a modalelor: could, couldn’t, had to, didn’t have to

Could/couldn’t Folosim could / couldn’t pentru a exprima abilitatea sau posibilitatea din trecut:

Jane could swim when she was six. (Stia sa inoate)

Had to / didn’t have to

Exprima ce era / nu era important / necesar in trecut:

Must nu are forma de past; se foloseste had to.I had to do a lot of homework yesterday.

Tom didn’t have to go to school today.

Modale care exprima: posibilitate, nesiguranta, imposibilitate, siguranta (possibility, uncertainty, impossibility, certainty): might, may, could, can’t, must

Posibilitate sau nesiguranta – future time:Our team might win the basketball match. (E posibil)I may / might see you next week. (Nu sunt sigura)I may / might not have time to finish tonight.

Posibilitate sau nesiguranta – present time:The cat could be in the kitchen. Or it could be in the garden. I don’t know.Where’s John? I don’t know. He may / might be at the cinema.

Imposibilitate sau siguranta – present time:It can’t be Tuesday today! It was Tuesday yesterday!The lights are on, so he must be at home. (I’m sure he is at home).She can’t be in Spain! I saw her today! (I’m sure she isn’t in Spain).