When to use the Italian modal verbs ‘dovere,’ ‘potere,’ and ‘volere’?

We use the Italian modal verbs dovere(must), potere(can), and volere(want) to show that some action is necessary, possible, desired. In Italian, we call these verbi servili(serving verbs) to underline that they provide help to other verbs.

• Dovere(must, have to) shows that another action is necessary:

  Devo andare a lavoro oggi.

  Today I have to go to work.

• Potere(can) shows that another action is possible:

  Che bella giornata! Oggi possiamo fare una passeggiata.

  What a beautiful day! Today we can take a walk.

• Volere(want) shows that another action is desired:

  Voglio preparare una torta per il compleanno di mia zia.

  I want to bake a cake for my aunt's birthday.

This post is the second in our series on Italian modal verbs. In the first part, we talked about how to build sentences around Italian modal verbs. In this part, we’re talking more about meaning: when do we use these verbs and what do they mean when we use them! You can think of these verbs as the three fairy godmother verbs! Each gives a different gift!

Keep reading to find out about their enchantments! 🪄

Use dovere to express necessity or obligation or to give advice. Depending on the context, dovere means “have to,” “need to,” “must,” and even “ought to.”

So if dovere is a fairy godmother, what is its gift?

Let’s go through each of its three main uses:

• Using dovere to express necessity

  Like “need to” and “have to,” dovere is used when an action is necessary.

  Dobbiamo fare benzina.

  We have to / need to fill up the tank.

  Tip

  Beginners of Italian tend to use dovere + verb and avere bisogno di + verb interchangeably, because they both translate to “need to verb.” However, there is a subtle difference between the two:

  • Use dovere + verb when the necessity is external to the subject (it’s a requirement)

    Oggi devo andare a letto presto perché ho il volo domattina alle sei.

    I have to go to bed early today because I have a six a.m. flight tomorrow.

  • Use avere bisogno di+ noun/verb when the necessity is more internal (it’s more of a desire)

    Oggi ho bisogno di andare a letto presto perché sono molto stanco.

    Today I need to go to bed early because I am very tired.

• Using dovere to express obligation

  You can use dovere to express that someone is legally or morally bound to do something, even if technically they could get away without doing it.

  Ricorda che devi rispettare lo stop.

  Remember that you must respect the stop sign.

  Important

  If you want to tell someone not to do something, you can use dovere, although it is far more common to use the negative imperative of the main verb to do so.

  • Possible:

    Non dovete fare rumore in biblioteca!

    You must not make noise in the library!

  • More common:

    negative imperative

    Non fate rumore in biblioteca!

    Don't make noise in the library!

  An intermediate option here would be to use the modal potere(can) in the negative form in the sense of “not being allowed” to do something:

  Non potete fare rumore in biblioteca!

  You are not allowed to make noise in the library!

• Using dovere to give advice

  Dovereis also used to give strong advice.

  Devi stare più attento quando attraversi.

  You have to be more careful when crossing. 😥

  Tip

  To make your advice less strong (i.e. more like advice and less like a reproach) use dovere in the conditional moodNo definition set for conditional moodLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum..

  Dovresti stare più attento quando attraversi. 😌 ☮

  You should be more careful when crossing.

Use potere to express (im)possibility or (in)ability, to make suggestions, to give or deny permission, or to make requests. Depending on the context, potere can therefore mean “to be able to,” “to have the power to,” “can,” “be allowed to,” or “may.”

So if potere is a fairy godmother, what’s its gift?

Let’s look at its main uses!

• Using potere to express possibility or ability

  When potere expresses the ability to do something, it is the equivalent to the English “can” or “to be able to.”

  • Marcello e Lara possono venire qui alle sette.

    Marcello and Lara can come here at seven.

  • Finalmente quest’estate Marta può andare in vacanza in Italia.

    Finally this summer Marta is able to go on vacation to Italy.

  When used in the negative form, potere is the equivalent of “cannot” or “not able to.”

  • Mi spiace, ma non posso uscire stasera perché è il compleanno di mia nonna.

    I'm sorry, but I can't go out tonight because it’s my grandma’s birthday.

  • Oggi gli studenti non possono andare a scuola perché c’è lo sciopero degli autobus.

    Today students cannot go to school because there is a bus strike.

  Potere vs. riuscire vs. sapere

  Depending on the context, the verbs potere, riuscire, and sapere might all be translated as “can” or “be able to” in English. However, in Italian, each of them is used in specific circumstances and they are not interchangeable. The one you should use will depend on the reason someone can or cannot do something:

  • Potere is used when the reason something can/cannot happen depends either on others’ will or on external circumstances.

    • Carlo può andare al supermercato di mattina (perché è in pensione).

      Carlo can go to the supermarket in the morning (because he is retired).

    • Non posso suonare la batteria (perché dà fastidio ai miei vicini).

      I can't play drums (because it bothers my neighbors).

  • Riuscire is used when the reason something can/cannot happen is because of the mental or physical ability of the subject. In English, riuscire is translated with “can” but also with “succeed to,” and “manage to.”

    • Oggi Carlo riesce ad andare al supermercato (perché si sente meglio).

      Today Carlo can go to the supermarket (because he feels better).

    • Non riesco a suonare la batteria (perché mi sono slogato il polso).

      I can't play the drums (because I have sprained my wrist).

    Note that riuscire requires the preposition a/ad(to) before the infinitive.

  • Finally, sapere is used when the reason something can/cannot be performed is simply that someone does or does not know how:

    • Carlo sa andare al supermercato (perché gli ho dato le indicazioni).

      Carlo knows how to go to the supermarket (because I gave him the directions).

    • Non so suonare la batteria (perché non ho mai fatto un corso).

      I don't know how to play drums (because I've never taken a course).

• Using potere to make suggestions or proposals

  Potere can be used to propose plans and make suggestions.

  Domani possiamo andare al mare.

  We can go to the beach tomorrow.

  Often potere appears in the conditional moodNo definition set for conditional moodLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. to emphasize even more that what we are proposing is a feasible option:

  • Domani potremmo andare al mare.

    Tomorrow we could go to the beach.

  • Quest’estate potresti dipingere questa parete di un colore diverso.

    This summer you could paint this wall a different color.

• Using potere to give permission or make a prohibition

  Potere is used to ask for and give permission and, in its negative form, it is used to express prohibition.

  • • Mi scusi, questo taxi è libero? Possiamo salire?

      Excuse me, is this taxi free? Can we get in?

    • Sì certo, è libero, potete accomodarvi.

      Yes, of course, it’s free, you can take a seat.

  • Non si può sorpassare a destra.

    You cannot pass on the right.

  Tip

  Note that in the last example above, potere is used impersonally after the so-called si impersonale(impersonal si): non si può(you/one/people cannot).

  Because the si impersonale expresses an action that does not have a specific subject, it is common in Italian to use it for laws, permissions, and prohibitions. Si impersonale is the equivalent of the generic “you” in English.

• Using potere to make requests or politely ask for something

  Use potere in questions to request something or politely ask for something.

  • Posso avere un bicchiere d’acqua, per piacere?

    Can I have a glass of water, please?

  • Mi scusi, mi può dire che ore sono?

    Excuse me, can you tell me what time it is?

  If you want to sound extra polite, ask questions with potere in the present conditional, which transforms the examples above as follows:

  • Potrei avere un bicchiere d’acqua, per piacere?

    Could I have a glass of water, please?

  • Mi scusi, mi potrebbe dire che ore sono?

    Excuse me, could you tell me what time it is?

Like the English “to want,” volere is used to express all forms of will: desires, wishes, the intention to do or not do something. In addition, it is used to request, demand, or command something.

So if volere is a fairy godmother, what is its gift?

In Italian, there are two main ways to express desires, intentions, or requests with volere:

• Voglio + infinitive, with the present indicative

  Voglio is the present indicativeNo definition set for indicativeLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. io(I) form of volere. In Italian, saying "I want" this directly, though, sounds somewhat bold, so it is mostly used to express the strong intention to do something or a wish/desire in an informal setting.

  • Oggi voglio comprare un libro nuovo.

    Today I want to buy a new book.

  • Voglio proprio andare al cinema stasera, chi viene con me?

    I really wanna go to the cinema tonight, who's going with me?

  Tip

  A volere + infinitive combo worth remembering is:

  volere(want) + dire(to say)

  voler dire

  to mean, to intend to say

  You can use this phrase…

  • to ask the meaning of a word

    Che cosa vuol dire questa parola in inglese?

    What does this word mean in English?

  • to ask someone to explain themselves:

    Cosa vuoi dire?

    What do you mean?

  • to explain yourself:

    Voglio dire che…

    I mean that…

  You can also use verb significare(to mean) to ask about the meaning of a word:

  Che cosa significa questa parola in inglese?

  What does this word mean in English?

• Vorrei + infinitive, with the present conditional

  It is very common to use vorrei(I would like), the present conditional of volere, rather than the stronger voglio(I want). Compare these two sentences to get a sense of the difference:

  • Present indicative:

    Per il suo compleanno, Marta vuole andare a Roma.

    For her birthday, Marta wants to go to Rome.

  • Present conditional:

    Per il suo compleanno, Marta vorrebbe andare a Roma.

    For her birthday, Marta would like to go to Rome.

Although both sentences are grammatically correct, it sounds less strong to express desires/intentions by using the conditional of volere, like we did in sentence (b).

So what should you remember about when to use these different Italian modal verbs?

• Dovere is used to talk about necessity.

  • Use dovere to express the need, the obligation to do something, and to give advice.

  • Don’t forget the difference between dovere(external necessity) and avere bisogno di(internal necessity).

• Potere is used to talk about possibility.

  • Use potere to talk about things you can do and are able to do or, in the negative form, the things you cannot do. You can also use it to suggest or propose something.

  • Don’t forget the differences between potere (external cause), riuscire a(physical or mental capability), and sapere(knowledge).

• Volere is used to talk about wishes and desires. There are two ways to express a wish with volere:

  • voglio + infinitive

  • vorrei + infinitive (use this to sound polite!)

Ready to learn more? Head to the last post in our series on modals: non-modal uses of dovere, potere, and volere, or head backwards to learn about how to structure Italian sentences with modal verbs!

Ready to practice how to use dovere, potere, and volere? 💪 🧠 Click the link!