These specific auxiliary verbs are used to express:
- Obligation: Deber (must) + infinitive
- Possibility: Poder (can) + infinitive
- Intention: Querer (want to) + infinitive
Take a look at these examples:
Debo estudiar para el examen.
I must study for the exam.
Podemos jugar al fútbol hoy.
We can play football today.
Quieren ir al cine el próximo sábado.
They want to go to the cinema next Saturday.
Note that to say must / can / want to in Spanish, you use:
Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics
Examples and resources
Quiero aprender a cocinar.
I want to learn how to cook.
Debemos ir al supermercado.
We must go to the supermarket.
Quieren ir al cine el próximo sábado.
They want to go to the cinema next Saturday.
Podemos jugar al fútbol hoy.
We can play football today.
Mi madre debe pagar las facturas de la casa.
My mother must pay the household bills.
Debo estudiar para el examen.
I must study for the exam.
Q&A
Inma
Kwiziq language super star
28/09/18
Hi Alexander,
may/might can be expressed in different ways in Spanish. Most of the time we don't actually use modals. Here are some examples:
"He may come tonight":
1. A lo mejor viene esta noche. 2. Quizás venga esta noche. 3. Puede que venga esta noche.
"I might marry him."
1. A lo mejor me caso con él. 2. Quizás me case con él. 3. Puede que me case con él.
We don't usually make a distinction between may and might.
Inma :))
Lyn
Kwiziq community member
10 February 2019
2 replies
The question was How do you say: "You must tidy up your room. Is “Debes ordenar su habitación,” wrong?????? Please, if so, Why
Inma
Kwiziq language super star
10 February 2019
10/02/19
Hola Lyn
You can say "Debes recoger tu cuarto" or "Debes ordenar tu habitación". Both are correct; recoger and ordenar are synonyms and the same goes for cuarto and habitación.
But note that your sentence is saying "Debes ordenar su cuarto"; you must match the conjugation with the possessive. The correct possessive here should be "tu", not "su", as you are using the you informal conjugation. If you want to make this sentence more formal you could also say "(Usted) debe ordenar su cuarto."
Gracias y saludos
Inma
Lyn
Kwiziq community member
10 February 2019
10/02/19
Thank you Inma for your clear explanation. I get it now.
Regards
Lyn