kannst
kannst is the German word for.
kannst is used to express that you are able to do something. In an informal setting, you can use the phrase Kannst du…? to ask "Can you…?", or use Kannst du vielleicht…? to convey a softer request similar to "Could you maybe…?"
Which one should you use?
kannst is used when addressing one person informally as du. When you need to address someone formally, you must use the verb können, specifically the form können Sie.
How does it change in a sentence?
kannst is the second-person singular conjugation of the irregular verb können, which means "to be able to" or "can".
Did you know?
- The word kannst is a distant relative of the English word 'can'. They both stem from the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to know' or 'to be acquainted with'.
- While kannst expresses ability, German uses a different verb dürfen to express permission. This means saying Ich kann nicht might mean you lack the skill, whereas Ich darf nicht means you are forbidden.
- While kannst denotes ability, Germans often use the phrase Das kann man nicht machen to describe something that is socially unacceptable rather than physically impossible.
Examples in context
- Kannst du es aussprechen?Can you pronounce it?
- Kannst du bitte das Fenster schließen?Can you please close the window?
- Kannst du mir helfen?Can you help me?
- Du kannst sehr gut kochen.You can cook very well.
- Kannst du das bitte wiederholen?Can you please repeat that?
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are discussing a difficult math problem.
- LukasHannah, kannst du diese Aufgabe lösen?Hannah, can you solve this task?
- HannahNein, ich kann das leider nicht.No, unfortunately, I cannot do that.
- LukasKein Problem, ich kann es dir zeigen.No problem, I can show you.
- HannahDas ist sehr nett von dir, Lukas.That is very kind of you, Lukas.
