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### The modal verb: möchten

The verb **möchten** means "would like." It is used to express desires and make polite requests.

Like other modal verbs, the **ich** and **er/sie/es** forms are identical.

| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| ich | möchte |
| du | möchtest |
| er/sie/es | möchte |
| wir | möchten |
| ihr | möchtet |
| sie/Sie | möchten |

### The Sentence Bracket

When using **möchten** with another verb—like **trinken** (to drink) or **bestellen** (to order)—the sentence bracket rule applies. In statements and W-questions, the conjugated **möchten** takes the second position, and the main verb goes to the **very end** of the sentence in its infinitive (dictionary) form.

{{item:863753}}

For a yes/no question, **möchten** moves to the first position. The main verb stays at the end.

{{item:863760}}

Everything else—like the objects you are ordering or time words like **jetzt** (now)—is bracketed between the two verbs.

{{item:863761}}

You can also use **möchten** without a second verb to simply state what you want. Adding **bitte** (please) makes the request polite.

{{item:863756}}

Polite requests (möchten)

adjective

adverb

auxiliary verb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Definite articles and gender (der, die, das)

Indefinite articles (ein, eine)

Regular verbs and statement word order (ich -e, er -t)

The second person (du -st, Sie -en)

Yes/No questions

The verb 'to have' (habe, hast, hat)

Plural pronouns and regular verbs (wir, ihr, sie)

Plural 'to be' and 'to have' (sind, haben)

Plural nouns and the plural article (die)

Sentence negation (nicht)

Noun negation (kein, keine)

Question words (wer, was, wo, wie)

Numbers 0 to 12 (null, eins, zwei)

The accusative case (den, die, das)

Indefinite accusative articles (einen, keinen)

Direct object pronouns (mich, dich, ihn)

There is / there are (es gibt)

Vowel changes: e to i/ie (er spricht, sie liest)

Vowel changes: a to ä (er fährt)

Weather and conditions (es regnet)

First- and second-person possessives in the nominative (mein, dein, Ihr)

First- and second-person possessives in the accusative (meinen, deinen, Ihren)

Third-person and plural possessives (sein, ihr, unser, euer)

Possession with names (Annas Auto)

Demonstrative pronouns (dieser, diese, dieses)

Expressing preference (gern, lieber)

Asking about direction and origin (woher, wohin)

Expressing ability (können)

Expressing intention (wollen)

Modal verbs of obligation and permission (müssen, dürfen)

Separable prefix verbs

Adverbs of frequency (immer, oft, manchmal, nie)

The Dative case and definite articles (dem, der, den)

Dative indefinite and negative articles (einem, einer, keinem)

Dative personal pronouns (mir, dir, ihm, ihr...)

Dative verbs (helfen, danken, gefallen, schmecken)

Dative prepositions (aus, bei, mit, nach...)

Accusative prepositions (für, ohne, gegen)

Two-way prepositions for location (in, an, auf...)

Informal singular imperative (mach, komm)

Plural and formal imperative (macht, machen Sie)

Coordinating conjunctions (und, oder, aber, denn)

Simple past of sein and haben (war, hatte)

The perfect tense: regular verbs (gemacht, gespielt)

Past tense: irregular verbs (ge-...-en)

The perfect tense: mixed verbs (gebracht, gekannt)

The perfect tense with sein (ist gegangen)

The perfect tense: separable verbs (eingekauft)

The perfect tense: inseparable and -ieren verbs (besucht, studiert)

Informal singular commands (mach, lern)

Numbers 13 to 20 (dreizehn to zwanzig)

Counting by tens to 100 (dreißig, vierzig)

Telling time (Uhr, halb, Viertel, vor, nach)

Numbers 21 to 99 (einundzwanzig, zweiunddreißig)

Greetings and farewells

Thank you, sorry and good wishes

Everyday replies

Numbers 100 to 1,000,000 (hundert, tausend...)

Becoming and getting (werden)

The impersonal pronoun (man)

Indefinite pronouns (jemand, niemand...)

Time sequence prepositions (vor, nach, bei)

Time span prepositions (von... bis, seit, für)

Adverbs of sequence (zuerst, dann, danach)

Two-way prepositions for direction (in, auf, an...)

Directional adverbs (hin, her)

Placement verbs (setzen, stellen, legen)

Months of the year (Januar, Februar)

The four seasons (Frühling, Sommer)

Time prepositions and indefinite pronouns (an, in, um)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 19th (am ersten)

Ordinals 20th and beyond (-ste, -sten)

Placement vs. location verbs (stellen vs. stehen)

Accusative reflexive pronouns (mich, dich, sich)

Accusative reflexive verbs (sich freuen)

Dative reflexive pronouns (mir, dir, sich)

Dative reflexive verbs (sich etwas merken)

Ordinal numbers 11th to 19th (-te)

Temporal prepositions (an, in, um)

Double objects with nouns

Double objects with pronouns

The modal verb for advice (sollen)

Simple past of modal verbs (musste, wollte...)

Simple past of common irregulars (wurde, wusste, es gab)

Adverbial connectors of consequence (deshalb, darum...)

Subordinate clauses for statements (dass)

Subordinate clauses for reasons (weil)

Question	Answer
would like	möchten
What would you like to drink?	Was möchten Sie trinken?
the beer	das Bier
please	bitte
I would like a beer and a water, please.	Ich möchte ein Bier und ein Wasser, bitte.
the menu	die Speisekarte
We would like to see the menu, please.	Wir möchten die Speisekarte sehen, bitte.
to order	bestellen
Would you like to order something?	Möchten Sie etwas bestellen?
We would like to order the salad now.	Wir möchten jetzt den Salat bestellen.
I would like the fish, but my partner would like the salad.	Ich möchte den Fisch, aber mein Partner möchte den Salat.
Are you looking for something? Yes, we would like the menu, please.	Suchen Sie etwas? Ja, wir möchten die Speisekarte, bitte.
the wine	der Wein
Would you like to order the wine?	Möchtest du den Wein bestellen?
the juice	der Saft
I like drinking wine, but today I would like the juice.	Ich trinke gern Wein, aber heute möchte ich den Saft.
We are hungry and would like to order.	Wir haben Hunger und möchten bestellen.
the bill	die Rechnung
to pay	bezahlen
The meat is very good. We would like to pay the bill.	Das Fleisch ist sehr gut. Wir möchten die Rechnung bezahlen.
Would you like to pay together?	Möchten Sie zusammen bezahlen?
the soup	die Suppe
I would like to order the soup and the beer, please.	Ich möchte bitte die Suppe und das Bier bestellen.
We would like the soup and the juice.	Wir möchten die Suppe und den Saft.
We would like to pay the bill, please.	Wir möchten bitte die Rechnung bezahlen.
I would like (ordering, shopping)	ich hätte gern
I would like a coffee, please.	Ich hätte gern einen Kaffee, bitte.
I would like water.	Ich hätte gern Wasser.
to ask, to request	bitten
I am asking the man.	Ich bitte den Mann.
She is asking the child.	Sie bittet das Kind.

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