Dutch Verb mogen ('may,' 'to be allowed to') - Smartphones Page

'Mogen' 2 is an irregular verb: the vowel change between singular and plural in the present tense is very unusual, and also note that there is no T-ending for the second and third person singular. The English verb is also irregular in that regard: English doesn't say 'he mays.'
'Mogen' is hard to translate into English, there is no straight equivalent. Study the sample lines for a better understanding of the verb.
Compare with 'kunnen' ('can,' 'to be able to') that has similar irregularities and problems.
See also Verbs Combined

overview
mogen		'may,' 'to be allowed to'
ik mag		'I may'
wij mogen		'we may'
ik mocht		'I might'
wij mochten		'we might'
ik heb gemogen		I was allowed

simple present tense
mogen		'may,' to be allowed to
ik mag		'I may'
jij mag		'you may' (singular, informal you)
hij mag		'he may'
wij mogen		'we may'
jullie mogen		'you may' (plural, informal you)
zij mogen		'they may'
U mag		'you may' (polite you)

simple past tense
(mogen)		'may,' 'to be allowed to'
ik mocht		I was allowed to
jij mocht		you were allowed to
hij mocht		he was allowed to
wij mochten		we were allowed to
jullie mochten		y'all were allowed to
zij mochten		they were allowed to
U mocht		you were allowed to

The past participle 'gemogen' is very unusual. It's not really wrong to say:
Ik heb dat nooit gemogen 2 I was never allowed to do that but it feels a bit awkward. It's better (and easier) to say:
Dat mocht ik nooit 2 3 I was never allowed to do that also:  Ik mocht dat nooit I was never allowed to do that (another use)
When in the perfect tense combined with other verbs, mogen is not in the form of the past participle but as an infinitive - more

ik heb mogen ... 2 3 I was allowed to ... Ik heb even de eeuwigheid mogen aanschouwen 2 3 [I have been allowed for a moment to view eternity] - I was allowed a brief glimpse of eternity 't Had niet mogen gebeuren 2 [It should not have been allowed to happen] - It shouldn't have happened

auxiliary verb hebben

Sample Sentences

Ik mag geen varkensvlees eten [I'm not allowed to] I can't eat pork (doctor's orders, religion)

Als ik dat vragen mag [If I'm allowed to ask] - If I may ask [that]

Als 't licht groen is mag je doorrijden 2 When the light is green you may drive on

't Mag de pret niet drukken 2 3 [It's not allowed to dampen the enjoyment] - We can't let it spoil the fun

't Mag geen geld kosten 2 [It cannot cost any money] - I/We don't want to pay serious money for it

't Mag nooit meer gebeuren 2 3 [It may never be allowed to happen again] - We cannot allow it to ever happen again - Never again!

't Had niet mogen gebeuren 2 It shouldn't have happened

Mag dat? 2 3 Is that allowed?
toegestaan 2 allowed ‑>>
verboden 2 forbidden, not allowed - German 'verboten'
verboden toegang no admittance, no trespassing, keep out!

'Mag ik ...' 2 3 ('May I ...' ) is a quite common start of a polite question. It can be variously translated as 'Could I have ...' or 'Can I please ...' but sometimes English would be 'Allow me ...' or things like that.

Mag ik wat water? Could I have some water? Mag ik een glas water? 2 Can I have a glass of water please? Mag ik een beetje kaas? 2 Could I have some cheese? Mag ik wat meel? Could I have some flour?

Mag ik zonder cafeïne? Can I please have decaf?

Mag ik de rekening? 2 3 Can I have the bill, please? Check, please!

Mag ik het recept? 2 3 Could I get the recipe?

Mag ik de boter? 2 3 Can I have the butter? Please pass the butter

Mag ik U een verfrissing aanbieden? Literally, a formal way to offer a refreshment, but usually said in jest when opening a window in a stuffy room

Mag ik me even voorstellen? 2 Allow me to introduce myself

Mag ik even? 2 3 4 5 Allow me ... ~Excuse me ... The common word for 'excuse me' is the Dutchified French 'pardon'

Je mag er alleen maar naar kijken 2 3 [You're only allowed to look at it] - You can only look at it (don't touch!)

Je mag 't hebben 2 3 4 You can have it

Mag ik U iets vragen? 2 3 Could I ask you something?

Mag het iets meer zijn? 2 3 Is it OK if it's a little more? For instance, the butcher has cut off a much larger piece than you asked for

Wie 't weet mag 't zeggen 2 Those who know the answer may speak up - often said after a question with no answer

Je hoeft geen 'U' te zeggen 2 3 4 You don't have to say 'U' (the polite address) Je mag wel 'je' zeggen 2 It's OK to say 'je' now (the informal address)

Jullie mogen wel Nederlands praten 2 It's OK for you to speak Dutch ("I can understand it, I won't feel shut out") You could just as well say:
Jullie kunnen wel Nederlands praten 2 3

Ze mogen wel oppassen 2 They should watch out, they'd better be careful Je mag wel oppassen 2 3 You should watch out, you'd better be careful

Jullie mogen niet klagen You guys shouldn't complain We mogen niet klagen 2 We shouldn't complain
Things are not ideal, but good enough, there is really no reason to complain

Mochten er problemen zijn ... 2 If, in case that there are problems ... Mochten er vragen zijn ... If, in case that there are questions ...

We mochten geen foto's maken 2 We were not allowed to take pictures
Hij mocht er niet in 2 He was not allowed to go in, he was denied entry

't mocht niet zo zijn 2 It was not to be (a hoped-for outcome didn't come about)

Wanneer mag je liegen? 2 3 4 When [are you] is it allowed to lie, tell untruths? Dat mag helemaal niet! 2 3 That's absolutely not allowed

't Mag niet van haar vader 2 3 It's not allowed by her father, her father doesn't allow it

Dat ik dit nog mee mag maken 2 [That I still can see this] - Amazing (or unexpected) that I still came to this experience, that I lived to see this

'Baten' is an old-fashioned verb meaning 'to be benificial, to help' - 'to avail.' It is only found in expressions, like:
't Mocht niet baten 2 It didn't help (it was too late, too little - it was of no avail)

't Most niet magge (slang) It shouldn't be allowed, How does the Lord allow? - in 'proper' Dutch it would be:
" 't Moest niet mogen " 2 3 4
but that's a little exaggerated

Related Words

Ik mag hem graag I like him, we get on well

Ik heb hem nooit gemogen 2 3 I never liked him

mogelijk 2 (mogelijke ) is 'possible,' onmogelijk 2 is 'impossible' and (de) mogelijkheid 2 3 is '(the) possibility'

zo spoedig mogelijk 2 as soon as possible zo lang mogelijk 2 as long as possible zo weinig mogelijk 2 3 as little as possible

Met alle mogelijke middelen 2 'With all possible means'

Hoe is 't mogelijk? 2 3 4 5 6 How is it possible? How can it be?

't Is haast onmogelijk 2 It's almost impossible

Misschien is 'maybe, perhaps'
Misschien niet 2 'maybe not'

Nederlands is een mooie taal ... Dutch is a beautiful language... ... maar misschien niet om te zingen ... but maybe not for singing

Misschien kunnen we wel buiten zitten Maybe we can sit outside (the weather looks promising)

Misschien is 't toevallig 2 Maybe it's a conincidence

Misschien lijkt 't maar zo 2 3 4 Maybe it only looks that way, maybe it's not like that

Misschien valt 't mee 2 3 4 Maybe it won't be as bad as we feared ‑>> Misschien valt 't wel mee 2 3 Maybe it won't be as bad as we feared - 'wel'

Misschien is 't iets onschuldigs Maybe it's something [innocent] harmless (worrying about something that could be serious)

Missschien was 't niet zo slim Maybe it was not very clever, maybe it was not a good idea

Zoals ik je misschien wel eens verteld heb ... 2 3 As I may have told you sometime ...

Dit is misschien iets voor jou? 2 3 Maybe this is something for you

Misschien heb je Jan gekend? 2 3 Maybe you have known Jan? Have you known Jan?

Misschien gaat 't gewoon niet Maybe it's just not possible

Misschien heeft 't daar ook mee te maken 2 3 Maybe it has to do with that too, maybe it's connected, related to that (is there a connection?)

't Was misschien beter geweest ... 2 3 4 (Possibly) Maybe it would have been better ...

'Wellicht' 2 3 (German 'vielleicht') is an old-fashioned word for 'perhaps'

Compare 'mogen' with: kunnen ('can,' 'be able to')

to 'let,' allow is laten
See the 'Laten' page

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