shall

A2 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

Also spelled sall and shant

US /ʃæl/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like sal /s/ vs /ʃ/

Freq #432

Meanings

1

verb
Used with I or we to talk about the future.

I shall call you when I arrive.
2

verb
Used with I or we in questions to offer help or make a suggestion.

Shall I give you a hand?
3

verb
Used to express a strong promise, order, or obligation.

You shall go to the ball!

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms shaltshouldst

Derived forms shalbeshall-issueshalln'tshan't

Related forms must ought should will

Etymology

From Middle English schal (infinitive schulen), from Old English sċeal (infinitive sċulan (“should, must”)), from Proto-West Germanic *skulan, from Proto-Germanic *skal (infinitive *skulaną), from Proto-Indo-European *skel- (“to owe, be under obligation”). Cognate with Scots sall, sal (“shall”), North Frisian skal, schal, Saterland Frisian skäl, schäl, schal (infinitive skälle, schälle), West Frisian sil (infinitive sille (“shall”)), Dutch zal (infinitive zullen (“shall”)), Low German schall (infinitive schölen (“shall”)), German soll (infinitive sollen (“ought to”)), Danish skal (infinitive s…

schal Middle English sċeal Old English *skulan Proto-West Germanic *skal Proto-Germanic *skel- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Grammar & Function Words

External links

# shall

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ʃæl/
**Frequency rank:** 432

## Meanings
1. Used with I or we to talk about the future.
2. Used with I or we in questions to offer help or make a suggestion.
3. Used to express a strong promise, order, or obligation.

## Examples
- I shall call you when I arrive.
- Shall I give you a hand?
- You shall go to the ball!

## Derived Forms
- shalbe
- shall-issue
- shalln't
- shan't

## Related Forms
- must
- ought
- should
- will

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: schal
- Root: sċeal
- Root: *skulan
- Root: *skal
- Root: *skel-

## Etymology
From Middle English schal (infinitive schulen), from Old English sċeal (infinitive sċulan (“should, must”)), from Proto-West Germanic *skulan, from Proto-Germanic *skal (infinitive *skulaną), from Proto-Indo-European *skel- (“to owe, be under obligation”). Cognate with Scots sall, sal (“shall”), North Frisian skal, schal, Saterland Frisian skäl, schäl, schal (infinitive skälle, schälle), West Frisian sil (infinitive sille (“shall”)), Dutch zal (infinitive zullen (“shall”)), Low German schall (infinitive schölen (“shall”)), German soll (infinitive sollen (“ought to”)), Danish skal (infinitive s…

## AI Etymology
Shall is from Middle English schal (infinitive schulen), from Old English sċeal (infinitive sċulan (“should, must”)), from Proto-West Germanic *skulan, from Proto-Germanic *skal (infinitive *skulaną), from Proto-Indo-European *skel- (“to owe, be under obligation”). Important forms in the word's history include Middle English schal, Old English sċeal, Proto-West Germanic *skulan, Proto-Germanic *skal, Proto-Indo-European *skel-. In current use it includes senses such as Used with I or we to talk about the future and Used with I or we in questions to offer help or make a suggestion.

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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