German Word of the Day
dürfen
DÜR-fen • modal verb — 25th of Jun, 2026
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Meaning: to be allowed to; may (expressing permission)
Examples
- Darf ich hier rauchen?
(May I smoke here?) - Du darfst jetzt gehen.
(You may go now.) - Kinder dürfen nach 20 Uhr nicht fernsehen.
(Children are not allowed to watch TV after 8 p.m.)
Synonyms
Click a synonym to see how it compares to dürfen.
Dürfen is used to ask for or grant permission. As a modal verb it is conjugated and placed before the subject, while the main verb stays in the infinitive at the end of the clause (e.g., "Du darfst gehen"). For polite requests in German, use the question form ("Darf ich...?").
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