Modals and verb phrases

Albanian expresses "can", "must", "begin to", "keep on" and similar ideas with a small set of verbs that take a subjunctive after them, plus a few set constructions. Two of these verbs, mund and duhet, are the modals: they say how the speaker sees the action (possible, necessary).

Quick guide

Mund: can, may, be able to

In the present, imperfect and future, mund does not change for person; the person is carried by the subjunctive that follows:

• Mund të vish nesër. "You can come tomorrow."

With the imperfect or past perfect subjunctive, it means "could" or "could have": Nuk mund të hapte derën. "He could not open the door."

In the simple past or in a compound tense, however, mund changes for person and means "managed to": Ai nuk ka mundur të vijë. "He has not been able to come."

Without a following subjunctive, mund keeps its full meaning as a regular verb: "to defeat".

Duhet: must, should, ought to

Duhet expresses necessity or obligation. It is used mainly in the present and imperfect, and usually only in the third person singular, whoever the subject is:

• Duhet të punoj. "I must work."
• Duhet ta hapni derën. "You must open the door."
• Duhet të flasim. "We must talk."

With the perfect subjunctive, duhet expresses a supposition: Duhet të ketë ardhur. "He must have come."

When a noun or pronoun comes straight after it, duhet means "is needed": Duhet ujë. "Water is needed." The verb lipset is a synonym of duhet.

Beginning and continuing

Verbs of beginning and continuing take the subjunctive:

• Beginning: filloj and nis always mean "begin"; zë, bëj, marr, vihem and others can too. Ai filloi të fliste. "He began to speak."
• Continuing: vazhdoj "continue" and vijoj "keep on": Vazhdoi të punonte. "He went on working."

As these are ordinary verbs, they change for person and tense, and the subjunctive follows the tense: after a past verb it is the imperfect subjunctive (filloi të rrihte).

Verb phrases with the participle

Obligation: duhet or do + participle

To say that something has to be done to something, the third person of duhet or do goes before the participle:

• Kjo derë do hapur. or Kjo derë duhet hapur. "This door needs to be opened."
• Fëmijët duhen ndihmuar. "The children should be helped."

"Is to be": kam për të and jam për të

The verbs kam and jam followed by për të and the participle express a softer necessity, or a future: Kam një punë për të bërë. "I have a job to do." The strength of the obligation depends on the context; see Future.

About to: jam në (or më) të... e sipër

The preposition në or më + të + participle + e sipër says that an action is about to happen:

• Isha në të dalë e sipër. "I was about to go out."

Ever more: vij duke

The verb vij "come", usually in the third person, plus duke and a participle expresses a process that keeps growing: Fëmija vinte duke u rritur. "The child kept growing."

Finishing: mbaroj së

To say that an action has been brought to its end, use a verb such as mbaroj "finish", pushoj "stop" or ngopem "get my fill", followed by the invariable së and the participle with an added -i: mbarova së lexuari "I finished reading".

In progress: jam duke

For an action in progress, jam duke + participle: jam duke larë "I am washing", isha duke larë "I was washing". See Participles, duke and pa.

Suggestions: le të

Le të hamë. "Let's eat." Le të punojë ai. "Let him work." See Imperative.

Watch out: the subjunctive after these verbs follows the tense of the main verb. Dua të flas "I want to speak" becomes Doja të flisja "I wanted to speak".

See also

• Present subjunctive: the forms that follow these verbs.
• Participles, duke and pa: the next page.