I agree with the previous answers. Russian language does have modal verbs, such as буду/будешь/etc. and хочу, могу, должен, обязан, надо, можно (надо и можно - adverbs) etc. But there are some differences. The most important difference in comparison to the English modal verbs is that we don't use the position of a modal verb in a sentence to show if it's a question or a statement as it is done in English. Compare: You can swim. -> Can you swim? Ты можешь плавать. -> Ты можешь плавать? As you see we don't change the word order. We just use the intonation in this case to show that it's a question. The word order in Russian is flexible (although not arbitrary, there is a logic behind it), and it has different functions. To show different modalities we also use a mood of the verb (the indicative, imperative and subjunctive moods as well as an independent infinitive) Hope it helps! Евгений

Russian is not particularly rich with auxillary verbs:))) But we have modal verbs. Russian 'могу' (can, is able to, may) is not anyhow different form other verbs:) Russian должен (must, have to) is a participle, actually. It means literally "[am/are/is] obliged to". There is a bunch of modal construcrions that work in a way unfamiliar to you. Мне нужно... I need.... Literally: "to-me it-is-needed to...." You use "necessary" this way. But we use this construction for most of modal things. нужно (need), надо (need), можно (it is allowed to, it is possible), нельзя (is not allowed/possible). also стоит (lit: it-worth, it makes sense to)

My answer won't be qualified as I've recently started attending a school and I do not know much of the fancy theory, but let us figure it out. According to this definition "modal verb - an auxiliary verb that expresses necessity or possibility." Russian has the next modal verbs:должен ( must) , should - должен бы, will-буду(будет, будут), мочь (can/ to be able to), may(можно) , let (позволять- I do not know how much this verb is modal, but I think it fits the rule. )

Okay; thanks! :D

yes, of course. But I don't know what to add to this:) If you need a list, then may be it jsut makes sense to search in google for modal verbs in Russian.