Formal Permission: die Erlaubnis haben zu
Street art and murals can transform a city, but there is a strict line between a legal project and illegal vandalism.
| Street art is often very creative. | Die Straßenkunst ist oft sehr kreativ. |
| Not every mural in the city is legal. | Nicht jedes Wandbild in der Stadt ist legal. |
Normally, you use the modal verb dürfen (to be allowed to) to express permission. However, for official authorizations or legal contexts, German speakers frequently use a formal alternative: die Erlaubnis haben (to have the permission).
Because die Erlaubnis haben is a noun phrase, it cannot take a bare infinitive like a modal verb does. Instead, it pairs with an infinitive clause separated by a comma. Place zu (to) right before the infinitive verb at the very end of the sentence.
| It is illegal because he has no permission to spray this graffiti. | Es ist illegal, denn er hat keine Erlaubnis, dieses Graffiti zu sprühen. |
| We have the permission to beautify the facade, so it is legal. | Wir haben die Erlaubnis, die Fassade zu verschönern, also ist es legal. |
When organizing a large project, you often need approval from the responsible authority (die zuständige Behörde). The grammar remains exactly the same in longer sentences.
| The responsible authority checks whether we have the permission to paint the wall. | Die zuständige Behörde prüft, ob wir die Erlaubnis haben, die Mauer zu bemalen. |
| We officially have the permission to spray the graffiti here. | Wir haben offiziell die Erlaubnis, das Graffiti hier zu sprühen. |
Using this structure elevates your German to an official, professional register, perfect for navigating rules, laws, and authorizations.