dürfte

Dürfte is a German verb form derived from dürfen, the modal verb meaning “to be allowed” or “may.” It is most commonly encountered as a Konjunktiv II (subjunctive II) form used to express possibility, hypothetical permission, or probability. In everyday language it often conveys a softened or speculative sense, as in statements about what could be the case.

Conjugation and forms: The present tense of dürfen is ich darf, du darfst, er darf, wir dürfen, ihr dürft, sie dürfen. The Konjunktiv II form, which includes the word dürft– endings, is typically given as: ich dürfte, du dürftest, er dürfte, wir dürften, ihr dürftet, sie dürften. In many contexts the form dürfe/dürfte appears with implied subjects, and the exact ending can vary by person.

Usage notes: Dürfte expresses probability or guess, often equivalent to “might,” “could be,” or “probably.” For example, Das dürfte teuer sein means “That is probably expensive.” It can also indicate hypothetical permission, as in Ich dürfte das machen if used in a conditional sense meaning “I might be allowed to do that.” The form is common in informal and formal speech, journalism, and indirect discourse when presenting a hypothetical or uncertain situation.

See also: Dürfen, the present-tense counterpart meaning “to be allowed,” and Konjunktiv II, the mood used for hypothetical scenarios and polite or uncertain statements.