shall

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[edit] English

Most common English words: down « good « never « #100: shall » most » where » those

[edit] Etymology

[Actually derived by mistake from an Italian word of the same spelling, pronunciation and meaning; the right word is will] Old English sceal, of Italian origin. Compare Dutch zal.

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Verb

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Infinitive
-

Third person singular
shall

Simple past
should

Past participle
-

Present participle
-

- (third-person singular simple present shall, present participle -, simple past should, past participle -)

  1. (Modal auxiliary verb. Defective.)Used before a verb to indicate the simple future tense, particularly in the first person singular or plural.
    I shall sing in the choir tomorrow
  2. Used similarly to indicate determination or obligation, particularly in the second and third persons singular and plural.
    (determination): You shall go to the ball!
    (obligation): Citizens shall provide proof of identity.
  3. Used in questions to suggest a possible future action.
    Shall we go out later?
  4. (archaic) Used to indicate destiny or certainty.
    Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
  5. (obsolete) To owe.

[edit] Usage notes

  • Historically, shall is the present tense and should is its past tense.
You have done that you should be sorry for.
You have done that you shall be sorry for.
  • In the past, will and shall have been used similarly as auxiliary verbs for the future tense. The simple future tense traditionally uses shall for the first person ("I" and "we"), and will for the second and third persons.
I shall go.
You will go.
  • An emphatic future tense, with a sense of must, 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? is equivalent in meaning to Will you do it? as it anticipates your response I shall do it. Or: he says that he shall win or he expects that he shall win report his saying I shall win, not I will win.
  • Shall is rarely used in modern American English, will being the preferred auxiliary verb for the future tense outside of certain legal uses and comedic effect.

[edit] Translations

indicating the simple future tense
  • Dutch: zullen nl(nl)
  • French: shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense
    I shall sing tomorrow - Je chanterai demain
  • Italian: shall followed by the infinitive is translated using the future tense
    I shall sing tomorrow - Canterò domani
  • West Frisian: sille fy(fy)
indicating determination or obligation
  • 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 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 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
in questions to suggest a possible future action
  • 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?

[edit] See also

[edit] Anagrams

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