Lesson 6: Medical Advice & Expressing Health in German (Lektion 18)

Q: How do we use the modal verb sollen for medical advice?

The modal verb sollen expresses external instructions or medical recommendations, e.g., 'Ich soll diese Übung machen' (I should do this exercise because the doctor advised it).

Q: What is the difference between sollen, können, and wollen?

Sollen refers to external advice/duty, können refers to physical/mental capability, and wollen refers to personal desire/willpower.

Q: How do we differentiate between polite advice and a direct command in German?

Indirect advice uses sollen (e.g., 'Sie sollen nicht viel Kaffee trinken'), whereas a direct command uses the imperative form with doch (e.g., 'Trinken Sie doch nicht viel Kaffee!').

A complete guide to the modal verb sollen, comparing modal verbs (sollen, können, wollen), distinguishing polite recommendations from direct commands, and health/symptom vocabulary.

By Anja

Published: April 5, 2026

Updated: July 25, 2026

Read time: 25 minutes

Welcome to Lesson 6 of Track A1.2 (Lektion 18 in the official Momente curriculum)! In this lesson, we will learn how to express physical health conditions, describe body pain, and handle medical recommendations in German. We cover three core grammar foundations: the modal verb sollen (should / supposed to), a precise comparison between modal verbs (sollen, können, wollen), and differentiating polite advice (Ratschlag) from direct commands (Aufforderung), alongside essential health vocabulary and dialogues.

All German words and sentences in this lesson feature high-definition interactive audio pronunciation. For the best audio experience, please open this lesson using Google Chrome.

1. Core Grammar (Grammatik) 2. Health & Symptoms Vocabulary 3. Practical Exercises & Dialogues

1. Core Grammar Principles (Grammatik)

Here we break down the major grammar concepts of this lesson with comprehensive tables and explanations:

The Modal Verb sollen (Should / External Obligation & Advice)

The modal verb sollen expresses instructions, duties, or recommendations given by someone else (such as a doctor, manager, or fitness instructor). For instance, when you say: Ich soll diese Übung machen, it translates to: "I am supposed to do this exercise because the physical therapist or doctor advised me to."

⚙️ Sentence Structure (Satzbau): The conjugated modal verb (sollen) takes position 2 (Position 2) in standard statement clauses, while the main action verb (Hauptverb) is placed at the very end of the clause in its unchanged infinitive form (Infinitiv).

Personal Pronoun (Personalpronomen)	Conjugation (Konjugation)	Conjugation Notes
ich (I)	soll	1st person singular (ich) matches 3rd person singular (er/es/sie) without -t.
du (you)	sollst	Takes standard informal singular ending -st.
er / es / sie (he / it / she)	soll	Identical conjugation to the first-person singular pronoun.
wir (we)	sollen	Standard plural form returning to original infinitive stem.
ihr (you all)	sollt	Takes standard informal plural ending -t.
sie / Sie (they / You formal)	sollen	Standard plural and polite formal conjugation.

Comparing Modal Verbs: sollen vs. können vs. wollen

Understanding which modal verb to use depends entirely on the context and underlying reason:

Modal Verb	Meaning & Underlying Context	German Sentence Example
sollen	Should / Supposed to (Obligation based on external advice or doctor's order).	Ich soll diese Übung machen.
können	Can / Able to (Physical capability or mental capacity).	Ich kann diese Übung nicht machen.
wollen	Want to (Personal desire, willpower, or intention).	Ich will diese Übung nicht machen.

Polite Advice (Ratschlag) vs. Direct Command (Aufforderung)

German provides two distinct grammatical approaches when providing health recommendations:

Grammatical Structure	Construction Method & Tone	Example Sentence	Audio
Polite Indirect Advice (Der Ratschlag)	Formed with sollen to offer a gentle, polite suggestion on what is recommended.	Sie sollen nicht viel Kaffee trinken.
Direct Request / Command (Die Aufforderung)	Formed using the Imperative mode, often including doch to soften the tone.	Trinken Sie doch nicht viel Kaffee!

2. Health, Symptoms & Exhaustion Glossary (Wortschatz)

Here is the primary vocabulary glossary for describing symptoms, body wellness, and physical fatigue:

German Term (Deutsch)	English Translation	Explanation & Usage
die Erkältung	Common cold / Chill	Ich habe eine Erkältung (I have a cold).
der Husten / husten	The cough / To cough	Ich habe Husten (I have a cough).
der Rückenschmerz	Back pain / Backache	Plural form: Rückenschmerzen.
das Fieber	Fever / High temperature	Ich habe etwas Fieber (I have a slight fever).
Gesundheit! / Gute Besserung!	Bless you! / Get well soon!	Said after someone sneezes or to wish a sick person a speedy recovery.
Ich bin fix und fertig.	I am completely exhausted / Dead tired	Idiomatic phrase expressing extreme physical fatigue (todmüde).

3. Practical Exercises & Dialogue Applications (Praktische Übungen)

Master your German with these practical dialogues and grammar exercises explaining the logic behind modal verb choices:

Part 1: Sample Health Consultation Dialogue (Gespräch beim Arzt / Tipp)

Person 1: Ich habe eine Erkältung und mein Hals tut weh. Was kann man dagegen machen? Habt ihr einen Tipp?

Person 2: Das ist ganz einfach. Ich trinke immer Milch mit Honig. Das hilft wirklich gut gegen Halsschmerzen.

Person 1: Danke! Und ich habe auch etwas Fieber.

Person 2: Wichtig ist Ruhe, viel schlafen und im Bett bleiben. Du sollst viel Wasser trinken. Das hilft sicher.

Part 2: Contextual Modal Verb Choices (Kann, soll oder will?)

German Sentence	Contextual & Grammatical Reasoning	Audio
Ich soll diese Übung machen.	External Obligation/Instruction (The fitness trainer or doctor prescribed this exercise).
Ich kann diese Übung nicht machen.	Physical Inability (Acute back pain physically prevents the person from performing it).
Nein! Ich will diese Übung nicht machen.	Refusal & Desire (Expressing lack of personal willingness or refusal regardless of physical ability).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do we use the modal verb sollen for medical advice?

The modal verb sollen is used to express instructions or recommendations given by another person, such as a doctor's advice, e.g., Ich soll diese Übung machen (I should do this exercise because the doctor recommended it).

What is the difference between sollen, können, and wollen?

sollen refers to external obligation/advice, können refers to physical or mental capability, and wollen refers to personal desire or willpower.

How do we differentiate between polite advice and a direct command in German?

Indirect advice uses sollen (e.g., Sie sollen nicht viel Kaffee trinken), whereas a direct command uses the imperative form with doch (e.g., Trinken Sie doch nicht viel Kaffee!).

Educational References & Curricula

Certified German Textbooks & Standards

This lesson's structure and grammar rules are reviewed against internationally accredited German learning materials:

Momente A1 (Lektion 18) - Hueber Verlag
Schritte International Neu (A1.2) - Hueber Verlag
Netzwerk neu A1.2 - Klett Sprachen
Begegnungen A1+ - Schubert-Verlag
Grammatik aktiv A1-B1 - Cornelsen Verlag