Before you start

Meet dürfen

Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.

All 5 meanings

  1. (auxiliary, infinitive replaces past participle) to be allowed (to do something); to be permitted (to do something); may
  2. (intransitive or transitive, past participle as above) to be allowed or permitted to do something implied or previously stated; may
  3. (subjunctive II, auxiliary) expresses a prediction with mild doubt, that something is estimated or probable
  4. (colloquial) must, to have [got] to, gotta
  5. (obsolete, transitive, with genitive) to need, to require
Forms

How dürfen changes

PronounPräsensPräteritum
ichdarfdurfte
dudarfstdurftest
er/sie/esdarfdurfte
wirdürfendurften
ihrdürftdurftet
Siedürfendurften

Partizip II gedurft · Perfekt with haben

Three examples

  1. 1
    Du darfst hier sitzen.You may sit here.asking permission
  2. 2
    Wir durften gestern länger bleiben.We were allowed to stay longer yesterday.past permission
  3. 3
    Ich weiß, dass sie heute nicht darf.I know that she is not allowed to today.verb at the end after dass

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