To talk about what you can or want to do, combine a modal verb with a second verb in the infinitive (the dictionary form, typically ending in -ть).
The Verb Мочь (Can / To be able to)
The verb мочь expresses physical ability, skill, or possibility. It is highly irregular. Notice how the stem consonant changes between г and ж.
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| я | могу |
| ты | можешь |
| он / она | может |
| мы | можем |
| вы | можете |
| они | могут |
Place the infinitive directly after the conjugated modal verb. To make it negative, place не immediately before the modal verb.
| Where can I find a doctor? | Где я могу найти врача? |
| Can you do this? | Ты можешь это сделать? |
| We cannot find your house. | Мы не можем найти ваш дом. |
The Verb Хотеть (To want)
The verb хотеть expresses desires and intentions. It is uniquely irregular because it mixes endings: the singular forms act like first-conjugation verbs (using -е- endings), while the plural forms act like second-conjugation verbs (using -и- and -я- endings). The stem consonant also shifts from т to ч in the singular forms.
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| я | хочу |
| ты | хочешь |
| он / она | хочет |
| мы | хотим |
| вы | хотите |
| они | хотят |
Here is хотеть combined with infinitives to express wishes:
| It is already late, I want to sleep. | Уже поздно, я хочу спать. |
| Anna wants to read a novel. | Анна хочет прочитать роман. |
| Today we do not want to swim. | Сегодня мы не хотим плавать. |
Talking About the Weekend
To talk about your plans for the weekend, use the preposition в (in / on) followed by the plural noun выходные (weekend).
| Where do you want to travel on the weekend? | Куда ты хочешь ехать в выходные? |
| On the weekend we want to go to the park. | В выходные мы хотим идти в парк. |
