Questions & Answers about Min bror må ikke låne bilen i aften.
What exactly does the modal verb må mean here—is it “may,” “must,” or “have to”?
In this sentence, må expresses permission. With ikke, må ikke means “is not allowed to” or “mustn’t.” So: “My brother is not allowed to borrow the car tonight.” Note that in Danish, må ikke is prohibition, not uncertainty; it does not mean “might not.”
What’s the difference between må ikke and kan ikke?
- må ikke = not permitted: “Han må ikke låne bilen” = “He is not allowed to borrow the car.”
- kan ikke = not able/possible: “Han kan ikke låne bilen” = “He can’t borrow the car” (e.g., no car available, no license, or some practical impossibility).
Use må for permission, kan for ability/possibility.
How does må ikke compare with skal ikke and behøver ikke?
- må ikke: prohibition/permission denied. “You mustn’t/are not allowed to …”
- skal ikke: either “you are not to/shouldn’t …” (instruction) or “don’t have to” depending on context. It can sound directive and is less clearly about permission than må ikke.
- behøver ikke (at): lack of necessity, “don’t need to/don’t have to,” not a ban.
For clear prohibition, prefer må ikke (or “får ikke lov til at …”).
Why is there no before ?