About us
Our goal is not to overload students with heavy grammar, turning them into philologists, but to teach a real, living language. The one you hear in a store, the one that allows you to communicate, meet people and clearly articulate your thoughts in a foreign language.
sales team
Modal verb "können" in German
08.04.2024
4 minutes to read
The construction with the modal verb "können" (can, to be able to) is one of the key features of the German language. This verb is used to express possibility, ability, and skill in performing certain actions. It can describe both physical abilities and skills, as well as ask questions about possibility or capability.
Table of contents
The modal verb "können" in German has a rich spectrum of meanings and contexts of usage. Primarily, it expresses physical ability or possibility to perform a specific action, such as "Ich kann schwimmen" (I can swim) or "Er kann gut kochen" (He can cook well). This aspect of "können" allows describing not only individual skills and abilities but also general possibilities. Additionally, "können" is used to express psychological readiness or permission to perform an action. For example, "Sie kann Deutsch sprechen" (She can speak German) may indicate not only physical ability but also psychological confidence in using the German language. Moreover, this verb can denote temporary limitations or circumstances preventing the execution of an action, as in the sentence "Ich kann jetzt nicht kommen" (I can't come now). Due to such a variety of meanings and contexts of usage, "können" is one of the most frequently used and important modal verbs in the German language. It helps not only to describe various aspects of physical and psychological ability but also to create diverse shades of meaning in spoken and written language.
What does the modal verb "können" mean in German
In the German language, the verb "können" has three forms depending on the person and number:
3 forms of the verb "können"
These forms are used according to the person and number of the subject in the sentence and allow expressing different shades of meaning depending on the context.
In the German language, there are several exceptions in the usage of the modal verb "können." For example, in many dialects and colloquial speech, the verb "können" can be shortened to "kann" even in the form of the first-person plural "wir können." This phenomenon, although not normative, is quite common in spoken practice. It should also be noted that in some contexts, the verb "können" can be used with other verbs in the construction "können + infinitive" to express possibility or permission. For example, "Ich kann schwimmen gehen" (I can go swimming) or "Du kannst das Buch lesen" (You can read the book). This construction allows conveying the meaning of the sentence more accurately and indicating additional actions or possibilities. Such exceptions in the usage of the verb "können" should be taken into account when studying the German language, as they can occur both in spoken and written language.
Exceptions
This website uses cookies to give you the best possible experience.
OK
