Hitzefrei: 'müssen' vs 'sollen', 'sollen' vs 'sollte'
I can use 'müssen' and 'sollen' to discuss necessities and obligations.
Hitzefrei: 'müssen' vs 'sollen', 'sollen' vs 'sollte'
I can use 'müssen' and 'sollen' to discuss necessities and obligations.
Link copied to clipboard
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.
Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- Modal verbs express necessity, possibility, expectation or obligation and are used with a 2nd verb in the infinitive.
- 'Müssen' means ‘to have to, must’ and expresses necessity.
- 'Sollen' translates as ‘should’ and conveys strong obligation or command but also expresses probability.
- 'Sollte' expresses a softer style of obligation and may be translated as ‘ought to’.
Keywords
Modal verb - verb of necessity, possibility, expectation or obligation used with a 2nd verb in the infinitive
Müssen - modal verb meaning 'to have to', 'must'
Sollen - modal verb meaning 'should', 'be supposed to', 'ought to'
Sollte - form of 'sollen' expressing obligation in a softer, more polite way
Common misconception
In German, you always use 'müssen' to say what you have to do.
The verb 'sollen' is another way of expressing an obligation, something you have to do. It has several uses, including strong commands (you should ring the doctor straightaway), which are similar to the 'have to, must' meaning of 'müssen'.
To help you plan your year 10 german lesson on: Hitzefrei: 'müssen' vs 'sollen', 'sollen' vs 'sollte', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 german lesson on: Hitzefrei: 'müssen' vs 'sollen', 'sollen' vs 'sollte', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 german lessons from the Studying and my future: Aufwachsen, Altersgrenzen und Zukunftspläne unit, dive into the full secondary german curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Some of our videos, including non-English language videos, do not have captions.
Starter quiz
6 Questions
to pay, paying
free time
glass
ice, ice cream
bottle
shop
masculine singular and plural
neuter
feminine singular
plural
Exit quiz
6 Questions
allein, alleine
draußen
vielleicht
einzeln
überall
to be allowed to, may
should, ought to, be supposed to
to want to
to have to , must
to be able to, can
to like, liking
Man soll immer die Wahrheit sagen.
Ich soll schnell nach Hause gehen, denn meine Eltern warten auf mich.
Ich muss zum Arzt gehen, denn ich bin krank.
Morgen soll es warm und sonnig sein.