VERB
sollen/ˈzɔlən/should; ought to; was supposed to
sollen is a German verb that means should, ought to, or was supposed to. It is pronounced /ˈzɔlən/. In conjugation, the simple past is "sollte" and the past participle is "gesollt".
Definitions
1.used to indicate that something is recommended or advisable(advice, recommendation)
a.to give advice or express an expectation
Du solltest mehr Wasser trinken.—You should drink more water.
2.to express a mild obligation or a task someone is supposed to do(obligation, duty, request)
a.expectation from someone
Er sollte gestern anrufen, aber er hat es vergessen.—He was supposed to call yesterday, but he forgot.
Conjugation
| Infinitive | sollen |
|---|---|
| Present (ich) | soll |
| Present (du) | sollst |
| Present (er/sie/es) | soll |
| Preterite (ich) | sollte |
| Participle II | gesollt |
| Konjunktiv II (ich) | sollte |
| Imperative (singular) | — |
| Imperative (plural) | — |
| Auxiliary | haben |
Frequently asked questions
- What does "sollen" mean in English?
- "sollen" means should, ought to, or was supposed to. It is a German verb.
- How do you pronounce "sollen"?
- "sollen" is pronounced /ˈzɔlən/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet.
- What is the past participle of "sollen"?
- The past participle (Partizip II) of "sollen" is "gesollt", used with the auxiliary "haben".
- What is the simple past of "sollen"?
- In the simple past (Präteritum), "sollen" becomes "sollte" in the first person singular.
- What part of speech is "sollen"?
- "sollen" is a verb in German.
