Ever Wonder if ‘Should’ Is the Right Choice?
Today you’ll find out why ‘soll’ isn’t always ‘should‘.
It’s one of the most common Business English mix-ups I see — and it’s not just a ‘tiny grammar detail’. It can completely change your meaning.
- Rules: “I’m supposed to…”
- Advice: “You should…”
- Plan: “The train is due…”
- Rumour: “Apparently…”
But if you use ‘should’ for all of them…
Advice sounds like rules.
Rules sound like suggestions.
And schedules sound like guesses.
In global business, that can mean deadlines missed, instructions misunderstood and agreements that never happen.
Does this little chart below help? (💡 Notice how in 3 out of 4 cases, ‘should’ changes the meaning — sometimes subtly, sometimes completely.)
If you’d like the full breakdown (with examples and a quick-reference chart), here’s my guide: German soll/sollte vs English should
| Context (German ‘soll’) | Correct English | If you use ‘should’ instead… | What happens |
| Rule / Obligation (Ich soll…) | I’m supposed to… | I should… | Sounds like a personal recommendation, not a duty |
| Advice (Du solltest…) | You should… | (no change here) | Correct use |
| Schedule / Plan (Der Zug soll um 10…) | The train is due at 10 / scheduled to arrive at 10. | The train should arrive at 10. | Becomes “we think it will” – not an official timetable |
| Rumour / Reported info (Er soll kündigen.) | Apparently… /He is said to be… | He should resign. | Changes meaning completely – now it’s your opinion, not hearsay |
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