Definitions For Shall

Verb

shall , - , should , - , past_qual=archaic (modal, auxiliary, _, verb, defective) {{non-gloss definition, Used before a verb to indicate the simple future tense in the first person singular or plural.}} : I shall sing in the choir tomorrow. : I hope that we shall win the game. {{non-gloss definition, Used similarly to indicate determination or obligation in the second and third persons singular or plural.}} : (determination): You shall go to the ball! : (obligation): Citizens shall provide proof of identity. {{non-gloss definition, Used in questions with the first person singular or plural to suggest a possible future action.}} : Shall I help you with that? : Shall we go out later? : Let us examine that, shall we? (obsolete) To owe. : {{rfex, en}}

Usage notes

Shall is about one fourth as common relative to will in North America as in the United Kingdom. Some in North America may consider it formal or even pompous. In the past, will and shall were interchangeable and synonymous, used similarly as auxiliary verbs for the future tense but separate persons. The simple future tense traditionally used shall for the first person (”I” and “we”), and will for the second and third persons. This distinction existed largely in formal language and gradually disappeared in early modern english. : I shall go. : You will go. An emphatic future tense, indicating volition of the speaker, reverses the two words, using will for the first person and shall for the second and third person. : I will go. : You shall go. Usage can be reversed in questions and in dependent clauses—especially with indirect discourse. For example: Shall you do it? anticipates the response I shall do it. Or: he says that he shall win or he expects that he shall win anticipate his saying I shall win, not I will win.

Derived terms

shalbe

Descendants

{{desc, srn, sa}}

Translations

Dutch: zullen Finnish: Use the present tense or use personal olla + present active participle : I shall sing tomorrow - Laulan huomenna or Olen laulava huomenna {{q, literary or formal}} French: shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense : I shall sing tomorrow - Je chanterai demain German: sollen Italian: shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense : I shall sing tomorrow - Canterò domani Malay: akan Norwegian: skal Old English: sculan Old Saxon: skulan Polish: powinno się Portuguese: Use the future tense of the verb or present indicative of ir + the infinitive or the verb "haver de" in the present + infinitive Russian: Use the future perfective or use the future of {{l, ru, быть}} + imperfective infinitive I will go to the post office — Я пойти, пойду́ на по́чту I will be going to the post office — Я быть, бу́ду идти, идти́ на по́чту I will be going back and forth to the post office — Я быть, буду ходить, ходи́ть на по́чту Slovak: Use the future perfective or use the future of {{l, sk, byť}} + imperfective infinitive Spanish: shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense : I shall sing tomorrow - Cantaré mañana Swedish: skola West Frisian: sille Finnish: use genitive + impersonal olla + present active participle or use genitive + tulee/täytyy/pitää + first infinitive : You shall go to the ball! - Sinun on mentävä juhlaan! or Sinun pitää mennä juhlaan! : Citizens shall provide identity - Kansalaisten on esitettävä henkilöllisyytensä or Kansalaisten tulee esittää henkilöllisyytensä French: (indicating determination) shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense, which can be emphasised using "bien" or a similar adverbial construction; (indicating obligation) devoir, être obliger, obligé de : You shall go to the ball! - Mais tu iras bien au bal! or Ah oui, tu iras au bal! : Citizens shall provide identity - Les citoyens doivent fournir une pièce d'identité or Les citoyens sont obligés de fournir une pièce d'identité Italian: (indicating determination) shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense, which can be emphasised using "sì che" or a similar adverbial construction; (indicating obligation) dovere, essere obbligare, obbligato di : You shall go to the ball! - Sì che andrai al ballo! : Citizens shall provide identity - I cittadini devono fornire identificazione or I cittadini sono obbligati a fornire identificazione Korean: 되다, alt=-야 되다, 하다, alt=-야 하다 Latin: debeo Norwegian: skulle Portuguese: dever, precisar Russian: {{qualifier, predicative}} до́лжен, m, должна́, f, должно́, m, должны́, p Swedish: böra Finnish: use conditional tense + -ko : Shall we go out later? - Menisimmekö (yhdessä) ulos myöhemmin? French: shall followed by the infinitive is translated by si and the imperfect tense, or, informally, without si and with the present tense : Shall we go out later? - Si nous sortions plus tard? or Sortons plus tard? Italian: shall followed by the infinitive is translated by the present tense : Shall we go out later? - Usciamo più tardi? Japanese: ようか, tr=-yōka, ましょうか (-mashōka) Korean: ᆯ까, alt=-ᆯ까, ᆯ까, alt=-ᆯ까요 Norwegian: skulle Portuguese: Use the imperative tense of the verb or present indicative of ir + the infinitive Swedish: skola

Etymology

From Middle English schal (infinitive schulen), from {{inh, en, ang, sċeal}} (infinitive sċulan, , to be obligated or obliged to, shall, must, owe, ought to), from {{inh, en, gem-pro, skal}} (infinitive *skulaną), from {{der, en, ine-pro, *skel-, , to owe, be under obligation}}. Cognate with {{cog, sco, sall}}, sal, , shall, {{cog, fy, sil}} (infinitive sille, , shall), {{cog, nl, zal}} (infinitive zullen, , shall), {{cog, nds, schall}} (infinitive schölen, , shall), {{cog, de, soll}} (infinitive sollen, , ought to), {{cog, da, skal}} (infinitive skulle, , shall), {{cog, is, skal}} (infinitive skulu, t=shall). Related to shild.

See also

ought shalt shan't should will Appendix:English modal verbs Appendix:English tag questions

Anagrams

Halls, halls