The Modal Verb "skal"
In Danish, the modal verb skal is used to express obligations, necessities, and fixed future plans. It is the present tense of skulle and translates to "must", "have to", or "going to". Like all Danish verbs, its form stays exactly the same no matter who the subject is.
Just like other modal verbs, skal is followed directly by the bare infinitive of the action verb. You do not use the infinitive marker at.
| We have to walk home now. | Vi skal gå hjem nu. |
| I have to work early tomorrow. | Jeg skal arbejde tidligt i morgen. |
Because Danish does not have a dedicated future tense, skal is frequently paired with time expressions like senere (later) or i aften (tonight) to talk about fixed plans or things that are definitely going to happen.
| He has to pack the suitcase later. | Han skal pakke kufferten senere. |
| Her brother is going to take the train tonight. | Hendes bror skal tage toget i aften. |
Questions and Negations
To turn a statement with skal into a question, swap the subject and the modal verb. The second verb remains in its bare infinitive form later in the sentence.
| What are we going to do tomorrow? | Hvad skal vi lave i morgen? |
To make a sentence negative, place the adverb ikke (not) immediately after skal.
| The doctor is not going to work tonight. | Lægen skal ikke arbejde i aften. |
