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sollen

should

verb ZOL-en Common
Grammar & Structure

Also means

be supposed to

Usage Note

sollen is a modal verb expressing obligation or someone else's wish ('should, be supposed to'), distinct from müssen (necessity). It reports hearsay, as in Er soll reich sein ('he is said to be rich'), and asks for instructions: Was soll ich tun? ('What should I do?'). It lacks an umlaut, unlike most modals.

Examples

"Du sollst mehr schlafen."

Natural Translation

You should sleep more.

Literal Translation

You should more sleep.

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