Some of these forms carry special meanings. They are widely used as polite or tactful
forms when making requests. (See also 91.1.) Note the following:könnte ‘would be able to’Könnten Sie bitte lauter sprechen?
Could you please speak up?Das könnte die Antwort sein.
That could be the answer.See also 35.6b (p. 78).
müsste ‘would have to’Wenn ich keine Reiseschecks hätte, müsste ich jetzt auf die Bank.
If I didn’t have traveller’s cheques I would have to go to the bank
now.See 5.2 (p. 7) on word order here.
Das müsste die Antwort sein.
That must be (would have to be) the answer.See also 35.6b (p. 78) and 89.1 (p. 322).
dürfte ‘would be allowed to/is probably’Wenn du älter wärst, dürftest du mit den anderen spielen.
If you were older you could play with the others.See 39.8 (p. 101) on conditionals, and 89.1 (p. 322).
Das dürfte die Antwort sein.
That could well be (probably is) the answer.See also 35.6b (p. 78).
sollte ‘ought to’ (often used with eigentlich to suggest that something has not
happened which should have happened, or vice versa)Er sollte eigentlich schon hier sein.
He really should be here by now (but he isn’t).Er sollte eigentlich nicht hier sein.
He really shouldn’t be here (but he is).See also 35.6b (p. 78).
möchte ‘would like to’Ich möchte heute im Restaurant zu Mittag essen.
I would like to have lunch in a restaurant today.See also 35.6b (p. 78).
wollte ‘wanted to’ (often implying an intention that now looks unlikely to be fulfilled;
also often used with eigentlich in this sense)39
VERBS