Abstract

This article focuses on the modal verbs können and dürfen and their translational equivalents in modern Chinese. In the theoretical part, the modal verbs können and dürfen are compared to the Chinese equivalents néng/nénggòu, huì and kĕyĭ. This section shows the similarities and differences between können and dürfen and their Chinese equivalents. The following empirical investigations are intended to find out other Chinese translation options for können and dürfen as well as other German translation options for néng/nénggòu, huì and kĕyĭ. Two novels from German and modern Chinese serve as analysis data basis, so that translations from German into Chinese and from Chinese into German are the main focus of the study. The results obtained through the analysis can be used by Chinese translators with German as their first language to translate können and dürfen. In addition, German learners of Chinese can familiarize themselves with the modality types and the use of können and dürfen.