Können meaning and definition in german
können meaning and definition in german
Verb
Frequency: 
irregular, third-person singular simple present kann, past tense konnte, past participle können or gekonnt, past subjunctive könnte, auxiliary haben
As with all modal verbs, the auxiliary können is used with a following bare infinitive (see examples above).In the perfect tense, when können is used as an auxiliary verb, the past participle must be können (or more accurately speaking: the infinitive is used instead of the past participle). When used as a main verb, the past participle gekonnt is standard usage. However, especially among southern speakers, the infinitive may also occur (Er hat nicht können. Instead of more correct: Er hat nicht gekonnt.)
- auxiliary, with an infinitive, past participle: “können” To be able (to do something); can. Kannst du ihm helfen? — “Are you able to help him?” Ich hätte das machen können. — “I could have done that.”
- auxiliary, with an infinitive, past participle: “können” To be allowed (to do something); to be permitted (to do something); may. Kann ich mitkommen? — “May I come along?” Er hat nicht ins Kino gehen können. — “He was not allowed to go to the cinema.”
- 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). Ich kann Deutsch und Englisch. — “I know German and English.” Kannst du es? — “Can you do it?” Das hätte ich nicht gekonnt. — “I couldn’t have done that.” or “I wouldn’t have been capable of that.”
- intransitive, past participle: “gekonnt” To be able to do something implied; can. Nein, ich kann nicht. — “No, I can’t.” Er hat gekonnt. — “He was able to [do it].”
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colloquial, usually in negation to be possible, to make sense Nächstes Jahr is’n Schaltjahr. – Das kann nich’. Letztes Jahr war doch Schaltjahr! Next year is a leap year. – That’s not possible. Last year was a leap year!
