German Modal Verb Dürfen Explained

Dürfen is German's verb for permission — and its negative form means something very different from müssen's. In this lesson, we cover the conjugation of dürfen, the three main situations it's used in, and a politer alternative for asking permission.

Conjugation of Dürfen

ich darf, du darfst, er/sie/es darf, wir dürfen, ihr dürft, sie/Sie dürfen.

3 Situations for Dürfen

Permission: Ich darf spielen. (I'm allowed to play.) Polite questions: Darf ich reinkommen? (May I come in?) Negation — nicht dürfen means “must not,” the opposite of nicht müssen (“don't have to”): Du darfst das nicht essen. (You must not eat that.)

Bonus: An Even Politer Way to Ask

For an extra-polite request, German speakers often use Könnte ich...? (Could I...?) instead of Darf ich...? — useful in formal situations or with people you don't know well.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you conjugate “dürfen” in German?

Ich darf, du darfst, er/sie/es darf, wir dürfen, ihr dürft, sie/Sie dürfen.

What does “nicht dürfen” mean?

“Must not” — the opposite of nicht müssen, which means “don't have to.”

How do you politely ask permission in German?

Darf ich...? (May I...?), or the even more polite Könnte ich...? (Could I...?).

What's the difference between “dürfen” and “können”?

Dürfen expresses permission (being allowed to), while können expresses ability (being able to).

How do you say “you must not eat that” in German?

Du darfst das nicht essen.

Ready to ask for permission with confidence in German? Start with our A1 German course.