8.3 Modal Auxiliaries and Infinitive
The infinitive form cannot be used as the finite verb of the sentence by itself, but it can be used in combination with modal auxiliary verbs, such as can, shall, will, must, dare, and ought to. The modal auxiliary verbs often describe activities that will occur in the future and the speaker’s opinion or feelings about the activities.
Modal Auxiliaries |
Modal Aux. + Infin |
Translation |
| skal (is going to, shall) | Jeg skal gå hjem. | I am going to go home. |
| vil (want to, will) | Jeg vil spise lunsj. | I want to eat lunch. |
| må (have to, must) | Jeg må arbeide snart. | I have to work soon. |
| kan (can, am able to) | Jeg kan spille piano. | I can play piano. |
| bør (ought to) | Jeg bør lese mer. | I ought to study more. |