Past Tense of Modal Verbs
Modal verbs express ability, obligation, permission, and desire. In the simple past tense, these verbs have just two forms: one for singular subjects (ik, jij, u, hij, zij, het) and one for plural subjects (wij, jullie, zij).
| Infinitive | Singular | Plural |
|---|
| willen (to want) | wilde | wilden |
| kunnen (to be able to / could) | kon | konden |
| moeten (to have to / must) | moest | moesten |
| mogen (to be allowed to / may) | mocht | mochten |
Word Order
Just like in the present tense, the conjugated modal verb takes the second position in the main clause. The main action verb is pushed to the very end of the sentence as a full infinitive.
wilde and wilden (Wanted to)
Use wilde or wilden to express past desires or intentions.
kon and konden (Could)
To express past ability or possibility, use kon or konden.
moest and moesten (Had to)
When talking about past obligations or things you were required to do, use moest or moesten.
mocht and mochten (Was allowed to)
If you had permission to do something, use mocht or mochten.
You will often see these verbs used together to contrast what you were required to do versus what you were permitted to do:
