Before you start
Meet können
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 7 meanings
- (auxiliary, with an infinitive, past participle: “können” or “gekonnt”)
- (intransitive, past participle: “gekonnt”) to be able to do something implied; can.
- (transitive, past participle: “gekonnt”) to know how to do (something); to know; to understand; to be able to do (something); to be capable of; can do (something), to have a specific skill. (which is notably unlike in English where another verb is needed for a main verb)
- (intransitive, colloquial, usually in negation) to be possible, to make sense
- (auxiliary, with an infinitive, past participle: “können”, informal) to be allowed (to do something); to be permitted (to do something); may.
- (auxiliary, with an infinitive, past participle: “können” or “gekonnt”, law, the so-called rechtliches Können) to be in the legal situation of being able to realize a legal effect even if it be legally disallowed
Forms
How können changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | kann | konnte |
| du | kannst | konntest |
| er/sie/es | kann | konnte |
| wir | können | konnten |
| ihr | könnt | konntet |
| Sie | können | konnten |
Partizip II gekonnt · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich kann heute lange schlafen.I can sleep in late today.present-tense ability
- 2Sie konnte gestern nicht kommen.She could not come yesterday.Präteritum ability
- 3Wir können heute zu Hause bleiben.We can stay at home today.modal verb with infinitive