icon-background-square
New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Was darf man ab wann? 'Dürfen' vs 'können', wh- questions and modal verbs

I can use 'können' and 'dürfen' to describe what people are able to do and what people are allowed to do.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Was darf man ab wann? 'Dürfen' vs 'können', wh- questions and modal verbs

I can use 'können' and 'dürfen' to describe what people are able to do and what people are allowed to do.

warning

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.

Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. 'Dürfen' refers to permission required from another person to do something.
  2. 'Können' refers to the ability to do something or the possibiity of doing something.
  3. Open questions use a question word before the verb, followed by the subject.
  4. In open questions using a modal verb, the 2nd verb in the infinitive is at the end of the sentence.

Keywords

  • Modal verbs - verbs of necessity, possibility, permission, ability, expectation or obligation used with a 2nd verb in the infinitive

  • Dürfen - modal verb meaning 'to be allowed to', 'may'

  • Können - modal verb meaning 'to be able to', 'can'

  • Wh-question words - question words that mostly begin 'wh-' in English, such as 'where'; in German they are 'Fragewörter'

Common misconception

'Können' and 'dürfen' both translate as 'can' in English.

'Können' and 'dürfen' are often used incorrectly in both German and English. 'Dürfen' refers to permission - 'may I/am I allowed to?'. 'Können' refers to the ability to do something - 'can I/am I able to?', whether or not permission is given.


To help you plan your year 10 german lesson on: Was darf man ab wann? 'Dürfen' vs 'können', wh- questions and modal verbs, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

As a follow-up to Learning Cycle 3, pupils could work on a speaking activity to ask and answer their questions about what young people can and are allowed to do in Germany.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

Some of our videos, including non-English language videos, do not have captions.

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the German and English.
Correct Answer:denken an,to think, thinking of
tick

to think, thinking of

Correct Answer:glauben an,to believe, believing in
tick

to believe, believing in

Correct Answer:halten für,to think, thinking of (someone) as
tick

to think, thinking of (someone) as

Correct Answer:teilnehmen an,to take part, taking part in
tick

to take part, taking part in

Correct Answer:stimmen,to be correct, being correct
tick

to be correct, being correct

Correct Answer:treten auf,to step, stepping on
tick

to step, stepping on

Q2.
Sort the words below into the correct order: 'Ich __________ die __________ nicht benutzen, denn ich sitze im __________. __________ ich bitte den __________ zum Aufzug haben?'
1 - kann
2 - Treppe
3 - Rollstuhl
4 - darf
5 - Schlüssel
Q3.
Match the modal verbs to their English meanings.
Correct Answer:dürfen,to be allowed to, may
tick

to be allowed to, may

Correct Answer:können,to be able to, can
tick

to be able to, can

Correct Answer:mögen,to like
tick

to like

Correct Answer:wollen,to want to
tick

to want to

Correct Answer:sollen,be supposed to, should
tick

be supposed to, should

Correct Answer:müssen,to have to, must
tick

to have to, must

Q4.
Sort the words below into the correct order: Modal verbs are usually used with a second __________ in the __________ form, which comes at the __________ of the sentence.
1 - verb
2 - infinitive
3 - end
Q5.
Match the question words in German and English.
Correct Answer:welch-,which
tick

which

Correct Answer:wo,where
tick

where

Correct Answer:warum,why
tick

why

Correct Answer:wie,how
tick

how

Correct Answer:wer,who
tick

who

Correct Answer:wann,when
tick

when

Q6.
Which of these questions are not grammatically correct?
Correct answer: Hast du viel Freizeit?
Correct answer: Wann hast du diese Woche Freizeit?
Correct answer: Darfst du mit mir ins Kino gehen?
Kann er schwimmen allein?
Warum darfst du nicht gehen ins Kino?

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the German and English.
Correct Answer:das Verständnis,understanding
tick

understanding

Correct Answer:schützen,to protect, protecting
tick

to protect, protecting

Correct Answer:das Gesetz,law
tick

law

Correct Answer:ab,from, as of
tick

from, as of

Correct Answer:in welchem Alter?,at what age?
tick

at what age?

Correct Answer:ab welchem Alter?,from what age?
tick

from what age?

Q2.
What does the word 'darf' mean in the following sentence? 'Unter 16 Jahren darf man öffentlich keine Alkohol trinken.'
should
can
Correct answer: may
Q3.
Match the following age restrictions to the relevant activities.
Correct Answer:unter 16 Jahren,darf man nicht alleine in die Disco gehen
tick

darf man nicht alleine in die Disco gehen

Correct Answer:ab 13,darf man nicht mehr als 2 Stunden pro Tag 'leichte Arbeit' machen
tick

darf man nicht mehr als 2 Stunden pro Tag 'leichte Arbeit' machen

Correct Answer:zwischen dem Alter von 16 und 18,darf man alleine bis 24 Uhr in die Disco gehen
tick

darf man alleine bis 24 Uhr in die Disco gehen

Correct Answer:6, 12, 16 und 18,die Altersgrenzen für verschiedene Filme im Kino
tick

die Altersgrenzen für verschiedene Filme im Kino

Q4.
To form wh- questions with modal verbs, start with the __________ word, then the __________, then the __________. The 2nd __________ verb comes at the __________ of the __________.
1 - question
2 - verb
3 - subject
4 - infinitive
5 - end
6 - sentence
Q5.
What is the German law called that protects children and young people in all public places and events?
das Jugendschutz
Correct answer: das Jugendschutzgesetz
das Schutzgesetz
die Altersgrenze
die Jugendliche
Q6.
Here are some statements regarding young people working in Germany. Which statement is false?
You can't work if you're younger than 13.
You can work for 4 weeks per year in the holidays if you're 15 or over.
Correct answer: You can work 8-hour days during term time.
Delivering newspapers is an example of 'light work' allowed for 13-15 year-olds.

Additional material

Download additional material