Polyglot Dictionary

dürfen

/ˈdʏʁfn̩/

modal verb A2

der (masc.) die (fem.) das (neut.)

Underline = a spelling pattern that usually signals that gender.

V Register Neutral Era Current Frequency Core Domain General Tone Neutral

Forms

ich/er
darf
du
darfst
wir/sie
dürfen
past (er)
durfte

Meaning

  1. may, to be allowed to

    • Darf ich reinkommen?

      May I come in?

V Category State Concreteness Concrete Agency Voluntary Duration Durative Transitivity Transitive

Similar words

können

The classic mix-up: können is about ability — whether you're capable of something. dürfen is about permission — whether you're allowed to, regardless of ability. "Kann ich rauchen?" oddly asks whether you're physically able to smoke; "Darf ich rauchen?" asks whether it's allowed.

Practice

1 What does dürfen mean?

2 Fill the gap: ___ ich reinkommen?

See also

verbmodal-verbirregulargrammar

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