Translation

1. to be allowed (to do something); to be permitted (to do something); may auxiliary, preterite-present

   Erstens, vergesst nicht, kommt das Fressen, / zweitens kommt der Liebesakt, / drittens das Boxen nicht vergessen, / viertens Saufen, laut Kontrakt. / Vor allem aber achtet scharf, dass man hier alles dürfen darf.

   Darf ich gehen?

   May I go?

   Ich habe gehen dürfen.

   I was allowed to go.

2. to be allowed or permitted to do something implied or previously stated; may intransitive, participle, past, preterite-present, transitive

   Ja, du darfst.

   Yes, you may.

   Ich habe es gedurft.

   I was allowed [to do] it.

3. expresses a prediction with mild doubt, that something is estimated or probable auxiliary, preterite-present, subjunctive-ii

   Der Zug dürfte in ein paar Minuten ankommen.

   The train should (will probably) be here in a few minutes.

   1934, Walther Kabel (as Max Schraut), Der Bluffer, Verlag moderner Lektüre, page 54

   The walls of the apartments are probably a bit thin.

4. must, to have [got] to, gotta colloquial, preterite-present

   Und nun ich darf wieder hinter euch aufräumen.

   And now I gotta clean up after you guys once again.

5. to need, to require obsolete, preterite-present, transitive, with-genitive

   1545, Martin Luther, et al. (translators), Biblia, Hans Lufft, 1 Cor. 12:21

   And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

Conjugation

Indicative

Subjunctive i

Subjunctive ii