How to say ‘should’ in German

At some point while living in Austria and speaking the language, you’ll want to say something like “You should see a doctor” or “Should I call them?”. But the word should doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all translation in German. Instead, it’s usually expressed using sollen or sollten — two closely related forms of the same verb that carry slightly different meanings.

So, how do you know when to use which?

What does ‘sollen’ mean?

Sollen is the present tense of the modal verb that’s used to express obligations, instructions, or when you’re p***ing on someone else’s expectations.

Examples:

• Du sollst mehr schlafen. – You should sleep more. (As in: someone is telling you to)
• Ich soll um 8 Uhr da sein. – I’m supposed to be there at 8.
• Was soll ich tun? – What should I do?

You can think of sollen as meaning “you’re expected to…” or “someone says you should…”. It’s direct, and often used when rules, routines or advice are involved.

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What about ‘sollten’?

Sollten is the subjunctive (Konjunktiv II) form of sollen. It’s softer and more hypothetical — used when you want to make a polite suggestion, offer advice, or raise a possibility rather than give a directive.

Examples:

• Du solltest zum Arzt gehen. – You should go to the doctor.
• Wir sollten früher losfahren. – We should leave earlier.
• Sollte ich anrufen? – Should I call?

In tone and use, sollten feels much closer to the English “should” in everyday speech. It’s common in advice-giving, especially when you don’t want to sound pushy.

Compare the tone

Let’s say a child isn’t doing their homework:

• Du sollst deine Hausaufgaben machen! – You’re supposed to do your homework!
  
  (That’s a rule or command — perhaps coming from a parent or teacher.)
• Du solltest deine Hausaufgaben machen. – You should do your homework.
  
  (That’s a suggestion — maybe coming from a friend.)

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So, which one should you use?

• Use sollen when the obligation or expectation is more definite or external.
• Use sollten when you want to express polite advice, mild criticism, or something that would be a good idea.

If you’re ever in doubt, sollten is usually the safer choice — especially in conversations where tone matters. It lets you offer input without sounding like you’re giving orders.