Well, modal verbs are verbs such as "to want", "to can" (to be able to), "to have to" etc... Actually in this lessons I'm going to explain you how to use such verbs in Hindi and to be more precise I'll give you in the lesson the use of exactly those four verbs: to can (be able to), to must (to have to), to need and to want. So here we go:

(1). Can /be able to/ = sakna (सकना)
You only have to know that it's added to the root of the main verb. "I can read hindi" - in that sentence "the main verb" is "read". So:

Verb stem + SAKNA / सकना (sakta/sakte/sakti/sakti~) + To be (hona, conjugeted) = Can + Verb

Oh, of course you must "conjugate" the verb sakna as I taught you (i.e. add ta/te/ti/ti~ to it's stem "sak"). Here are some examples:

मैं हिंदी में लिख सकता हूँ. (mai~ hindi me~ likh sakta hu~) = I can write in Hindi.
मैं हिंदी कुछ कुछ बोल सकता हूँ. (mai~ hindi kuch kuch bol sakta hu~) = I can speak a very little Hindi.
मैं वह नहीं समझा सकता हूँ. (mai~ voh nahi~ samajha sakta hu~) = I cannot explain that.
लडकी अच्छी रोटी कर सकती हैं. (larki acchi roti kar sakti hai~) = The girl can make tasty bread.

(2). Must (to have to)

It's build extremely easy! :-) It's used the Dative case. The pronounce change when used in dative of course, but I didn't explained it to you yet. I will later. For know I'll say that "mai~" becomes "mujhe" (to me) and "tu" becomes"tujhe" (to you), as for the plural we use the particle "ko". I hope you remember it from the previous lesson. So "ham ko" = "to us". Now about the verb "to have to", the hindus use this "pattern" to express it: "to me ... it is", so if you want to say "I have to go" in Hindi, you have to say "to me it is to go". Examples:

मुझे जाना हैं. (mujhe jana hai.) = (to me / to go / is) = I have to go.
तूझे खाना हैं. (tujhe khana hai.) = (to you / to eat / is) = You have to eat.
भरात में हमको हिंदी बोलना हैं. (bharat me~ hamko hindi bolna hai) = (India in / to us / hindi / to speak / is) = In India we have to speak Hindi.

(3). Need (Chahie - चाहीए)

It's used in similar manner as the verb "to have to". Again you have to say "to me" or "to you" or "to tus", "to the person", i.e. use the Dative case. Instead of placing the conjugated verb "to be" at the end of the sentence place "chahie":

मुझे जाना चाहीए. (mujhe jana chahie) = I need to go. (Similar to meaning and construction with "mujhe jana hai"...)
मुझे पानी चाहीए. (mujhe pani chahie) = I need water.

(4). Want (chahna = चाहना)
Use the same way as "to can":

Verb stem + CHAHNA / चाहना (chahta/chahte/chahti/chahti~) + To be (hona, conjugeted) = Want to + Verb

मैं जाना चाहता हूँ. (mai~ jana chahta hu~) = I want to go.
वह खाना चाहता है. (voh khana chahta hai) = He wants to eat.
हम हिंदी सीखना चाहते हैं. (ham hindi sikhna chahte hai~) = We want to learn Hindi.
मैं चाबल चाहता हूँ. (mai~ chaval chahta hu~) = I want rice.

That'll set the end for that lessons. Yes, I know I should extend it, give more example and explanations, but that's all I know about Hindi modal verbs. If I learn something new, I'll put in here for sure. Enjoy the next lesson, where you'll learn how to count to 20 and where you'll learn some wh-questions as well...

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May 2003, Lesson made by somebody