können — meaning in English
German → English · translate English → German instead
English meaning
- can verb To be able to do something, or to know how to do it.
- competence noun The skill and ability needed to do something well.
- get verb To come to have or receive something; to obtain.
- know verb To have information about something, or to be certain that something is true.
- may verb Used to say that something is possible or might happen.
- prowess noun Exceptional skill or ability in a particular activity.
Senses
können is used for these senses in English:
- can (modal, _, auxiliary, _, verb, defective, informal) May; to be permitted or enabled to.
- can (Manglish, Singlish, intransitive) To be fine or acceptable; to be possible; (with liao or already) to be enough. Often used in conjunction with a variety of clause-final particles, e.g., lah, meh or one, to express different attitudes towards the subject matter.
- competence (countable) The quality or state of being able or suitable for a particular task; the quality or state of being competent for a particular task or skill.
- get (intransitive, catenative) (with full infinitive) To be able, be permitted, or have the opportunity (to do something desirable or ironically implied to be desirable).
- know (intransitive) To have knowledge; to have information, be informed.
- know (transitive, philosophy) To maintain (a belief, a position) subject to a given philosophical definition of knowledge; to hold a justified true belief.
- may (modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have permission to, be allowed. Used in granting permission and in questions to make polite requests. [from 9th c.]
- may (modal auxiliary verb, defective) Expressing a present possibility; possibly. [from 13th c.]
can — full definition
- verb To be able to do something, or to know how to do it.
- verb Used to say something is allowed or permitted.
- noun A sealed metal container, especially for food or drink.
- verb To preserve food by sealing it in an airtight can or jar.
- verb Informally, to dismiss someone from a job, or to scrap a plan.