1.

Functii ale Verbelor Modale si expresii/ cuvinte

modale echivalente
Verbele modale pot exprima urmatoarele lucruri:
Ability/ Abilitate
- can (prezent): I can speak German well./ I am able to speak German well. (Eu pot
sa
vorbesc germana bine.)
- could (trecut): I could speak German well. (Puteam sa vorbesc germana bine.)
I was able to (managed to) go on a trip last year. (Am reusit/ am fost in stare
sa ma duc intr-o excursie anul trecut.)
e.g. My sister ... very beautifully. (Sora mea poate sa deseneze foarte frumos.)
a) must draw b) can draw c) may draw d) mustn’t draw
Possibility/ Posibilitate
-Can (90% certain): Everybody can make mistakes. (Toata lumea poate face
greseli.)
-Could (50% certain): She could be at home. (E posibil ca ea sa fie acasa.)
-May (50% certain): She may be at home. (E posibil ca ea sa fie acasa.)
-Might (30% certain): She might be at home. (E posibil ca ea sa fie acasa, dar nu
este sigur.)
Posibilitatea se poate exprima si prin cuvinte sau expresii care pot inlocui verbul
modal.
Sensul ramane acelasi.
-it is likely: It’s likely she is at home.=> She may/could be at home. (E posibil ca ea
sa fie
acasa.)
-it is possible: It’s possible she is at home.=> She may/could be at home. (E posibil
ca ea sa
fie acasa.)
-Perhaps: Perhaps she is at home..=> She may/could be at home. (E posibil ca ea
sa fie
acasa.)
-Maybe: Maybe she is at home. => She may/could be at home. (E posibil ca ea sa
fie acasa.)
!!! ATENTIE: Atunci cand avem intrebari, posibilitatea se exprima cu might,
could sau
will, DAR NU CU MAY:

-Will/ could/ might: May/ Will/ Could/ Might it rain later? = Is it possible to rain
later? (E
posibil sa ploua mai tarziu?)
!!! ATENTIE: atunci cand exprimam posibilitatea in limba engleza, trebuie sa
tinem cont de
gradul de certitudine. Unele verbe modale exprima un grad de certitudine mai
mare decat
altele si deci sunt folosite in functie de cat de siguri santem ca actiunea este posibila
sau nu.
De aceea avem gradul de certitudine aratat in paranteza dupa fiecare verb modal
care exprima
posibilitatea.
!!! ATENTIE: could/ couldn't se folosesc cu adjective la comparativ pentru a
exprima
posibilitate sau imposibilitate:
e.g.
e.g. She is the nicest girl I’ve ever met. (Ea este cea mai draguta fata pe care
am intalnito
vreodata.)
a) The girl couldn’t be nicer.
b) The girl may not be nicer.
c) The girl might be nicer.
d) The girl shouldn’t be nicer.
e.g. They ... be sleeping, but I am not so sure. (E posibil ca ei sa doarma, dar
nu sunt
sigur.)
a) may b) must c) ought to d) might
It’s possible he likes her. (E posibil ca el o place.)
a) He must like her.
b) He will like her.
c) He may like her.
d) He should like her.
... it rain tomorrow, do you think? (Crezi ca e posibil sa ploua maine?)
a) May b) Can c) Will d) Must

Probability/ Probabilitate
- Will (100% certain): He will be on the plane by now. (El este in avion acum cu
siguranta.)
- Should (90% certain): He should be there. (El trebuie sa fie acolo.)

- Ought to (90% certain): She ought to be at work now. (Ea trebuie sa fie la munca
acum.)
- Should have +vb.III/-ed: He should have arrived by now. (El ar fi trebuit sa
soseasca de
acum.)
- Ought to have + vb.III/-ed: The course ought to have started by now. (Cursul ar fi
trebuit sa
inceapa pana acum.)
!!! ATENTIE: probabilitatea tine de asemenea cont de gradul de certitudine.
e.g. It’s 9:30 so my parents ... at work by now since they always start at 9. (E
9:30 asa ca
parintii mei sunt la munca de acum din moment ce intotdeauna incep la 9.)
a) may be b) can be c) might be d) will be