A1 Questions & Negation 4 min read Facile

Can: Questions et Négations

Maîtriser 'can' pour les questions et les négations rend super facile de parler des capacités et de refuser des choses.

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To ask questions, swap 'Can' and the subject; to say no, just add 'not' to 'can'.

  • Questions: Move 'Can' to the front. Example: 'Can you swim?'
  • Negatives: Use 'cannot' or 'can't'. Example: 'I can't drive.'
  • No 'To': Never use 'to' after can. Example: 'I can't go' (NOT 'I can't to go').
❓ Can + Subject + Verb? | ❌ Subject + can't + Verb

Overview

Ever felt stuck when your phone dies and you need a charger? Ou peut-être que tu es à une soirée et que tu veux demander si tu peux rejoindre un jeu ? Savoir poser des questions et dire non avec can est ton super-pouvoir.
C'est la première étape pour vraiment parler aux gens. Tu vas l'utiliser pour tout, des mots de passe Netflix aux trajets Uber.
Do you want to sound like a robot? Probablement pas. Les manuels scolaires rendent souvent can très formel.
Dans la vraie vie, c'est rapide, facile et partout. Cette règle de grammaire couvre deux choses principales. Premièrement, comment dire que tu es incapable de faire quelque chose.
Deuxièmement, comment demander si quelque chose est possible. C'est parfait pour les apprenants A1 parce que ça ne change pas. Peu importe de qui tu parles, le mot reste le même.
Tu n'as pas besoin de t'inquiéter des terminaisons pièges comme -s ou -ed. C'est le mode facile des verbes anglais. Imagine que tu envoies un texto à un ami à propos d'un concert.
Tu dois demander : Can you go? et il pourrait répondre : "I can't." C'est cette règle en action. C'est simple, mais c'est la base de l'anglais quotidien. Faisons en sorte que tu l'utilises comme un pro.

How This Grammar Works

In English, can is what we call a modal verb. Vois-le comme un verbe auxiliaire (helper). Il se place à côté du mot d'action principal pour lui donner plus de sens.
La meilleure partie ? Il ne change jamais. I can, you can, she can, we all can.
Ça le rend beaucoup plus facile que d'autres verbes qui bougent tout le temps. Quand on veut le mettre à la forme négative, on ajoute juste not. Quand on veut poser une question, on joue simplement aux chaises musicales avec les mots.
On déplace can au début de la phrase. C'est comme un interrupteur verbal. Appuie dessus, et la phrase passe d'une affirmation à une question.
C'est très prévisible. Tu n'as pas besoin d'amener d'autres auxiliaires comme do ou does. Can fait tout le gros travail lui-même.
C'est comme cet ami qui propose toujours d'aider à déplacer les meubles. Fiable et direct.

Formation Pattern

1
Creating these sentences is like building with LEGO blocks. Tu as juste besoin des bonnes pièces dans le bon ordre.
2
For Negatives (Long Form): Sujet + cannot + Base Verbale. (Exemple : I cannot swim.)
3
For Negatives (Short Form/Natural): Sujet + can't + Base Verbale. (Exemple : He can't come.)
4
For Questions: Can + Sujet + Base Verbale ? (Exemple : Can they play?)
5
For Short Answers: Yes, I can. ou No, I can't.
6
Pro Tip: À l'oral en anglais, 99 % des gens utilisent can't. Cannot est très formel ou utilisé quand tu veux vraiment insister sur le non. Comme quand ta mère dit :
You cannot go out tonight!
Généralement, can't est ton meilleur ami. Aussi, n'ajoute jamais to après can. Ce n'est pas I can't to go. C'est juste I can't go. Garde ça simple !

When To Use It

You will find yourself using this rule in three main vibes:
  • Ability: Parler de ce que tu peux ou ne peux pas faire. "I can't speak French yet, but I'm learning!"
  • Permission: Demander si c'est okay de faire quelque chose.
    Can I use your Wi-Fi?
    (La question la plus importante du 21ème siècle).
  • Possibility: Vérifier si quelque chose est envisageable.
    Can we get Starbucks on the way?
Pense à ton appli de streaming préférée. Si la vidéo ne charge pas, tu dis "It can't play.
Si tu demandes ses identifiants à un ami, tu demandes
Can I use your account?" (Ne le dis pas à Netflix !). C'est parfait pour le gaming aussi.
Can you hear me?
est la phrase d'accroche non officielle de chaque appel Discord. C'est fonctionnel, moderne, et ça fait bouger ta vie sociale.

Common Mistakes

Even though it is simple, there are a few banana peels people slip on.
  • The To Trap: Beaucoup de gens disent I can't to dance. Non ! Can déteste to. Dis juste I can't dance.
  • The Third Person S-Error: Ne dis pas She cans not. Can est un rebelle ; il ne prend jamais de s.
  • The Double Negative: Ne dis pas I don't can go. Can n'a pas besoin de do. C'est juste I can't go.
  • Pronunciation: Parfois can't sonne comme can si tu vas trop vite. Assure-toi de bien marquer ce son t à la fin, sinon les gens pourraient penser que tu dis oui alors que tu veux dire non. Ça pourrait mener à des rencards très gênants ! Évite ça, et tu auras l'air d'avoir vécu à Londres pendant des années.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

You might wonder about could or be able to.
  • Can vs Could: Can est pour tes amis et ta famille. C'est décontracté. Could, c'est comme porter un costume. C'est pour ton patron ou un inconnu.
    Can I have water?
    passe bien à la maison.
    Could I have some water?
    est mieux dans un restaurant chic.
  • Can't vs Mustn't: Can't signifie que tu es incapable. Mustn't signifie que c'est contre les règles. Si tu can't (ne peux pas) te garer ici, peut-être qu'il n'y a pas de place. Si tu mustn't (ne dois pas) te garer ici, la police va emmener ta voiture. Grosse différence !
  • Can vs May: Les profs adorent dire : "I don't know, *can* you go to the bathroom?" quand tu demandes la permission. Ils veulent dire que may est plus poli. Mais honnêtement ? En 2024, tout le monde utilise juste can. Ne te prends pas trop la tête avec ça, sauf si tu écris une lettre à la Reine.

Quick FAQ

Q

Est-ce que can't et cannot sont la même chose ?

Oui, mais can't est pour parler et cannot est pour l'écrit sérieux.

Q

Est-ce que je peux utiliser can pour le futur ?

Parfois !

Can you come tomorrow?
marche très bien pour les plans.

Q

Pourquoi les gens disent Can I... au lieu de May I... ?

Parce qu'on est paresseux et que can est plus rapide. C'est totalement normal maintenant.

Q

Quelle est la réponse courte à

Can you help me?

Sure, I can! ou "Sorry, I can't."

Conjugation Table

Form Example Translation
Positive I can code. Je peux coder.
Negative I can't code. Je ne peux pas coder.
Question Can you code? Peux-tu coder ?
Short Yes Yes, I can. Oui, je peux.
Short No No, I can't. Non, je ne peux pas.

Politeness Levels

- **Casual

**

Can I grab a fry?
(Avec tes meilleurs potes)

- **Neutral

**

Can you help me with this bag?
(Avec un voisin)

- **Formal

**

Could you please direct me to the station?
(Avec un inconnu)

Memory Trick

Think of the CAN-CAN dance. C'est rapide, simple, et les jambes (mots) changent juste de place. Pour les questions, le Can saute au début !

Real Conversations

At a Café

C

Customer

Can I have a large oat milk latte?
B

Barista

Sure! Can you wait five minutes?
C

Customer

No problem, I can wait.

Gaming Online

Player 1: Can you hear my mic?

Player 2: No, I can't hear you clearly.

Player 1: Wait, can you hear me now?

Player 2: Yes, I can!

Progressive Practice

1

Dis trois choses que tu can't (ne peux pas) faire (par ex. voler, parler martien, cuisiner un repas 5 services).

2

Pose une question à l'IA de ton téléphone commençant par Can you....

3

Transforme l'affirmation He can drive en une question et une négation.

4

Écris un commentaire TikTok demandant à un créateur Can you make a video about...?

The Unchanging 'Can'

Subject Negative (Short) Negative (Long) Question
I
can't
cannot
Can I...?
You
can't
cannot
Can you...?
He/She/It
can't
cannot
Can he/she/it...?
We
can't
cannot
Can we...?
They
can't
cannot
Can they...?

Contractions of Can

Full Form Contraction Usage
cannot
can't
Standard speaking
can not
n/a
Rare emphasis

Meanings

Used to ask about or deny someone's ability, permission, or the possibility of an action occurring.

1

Ability

Asking if someone has the skill or physical power to do something, or stating they lack it.

“Can you speak Spanish?”

“I can't play the piano.”

2

Permission

Asking for or denying the right to do something in a specific situation.

“Can I go to the bathroom?”

“You can't park your car here.”

3

Possibility

Questioning if something is possible or stating that it is impossible.

“Can it be true?”

“It can't be 10:00 PM already!”

Reference Table

Reference table for Can: Questions et Négations
Type Sujet Can/Can't Verbe principal (forme de base) Exemple de phrase
Affirmative
I
can
swim
I can swim.
Question
Can
you
help?
Can you help?
Question
Can
he
speak English?
Can he speak English?
Negative
She
can't
come
She can't come.
Negative
We
cannot
see
We cannot see.
Question
Can
they
play?
Can they play?

Spectre de formalité

Formel
May I please have a glass of water?

May I please have a glass of water? (Restaurant/Home)

Neutre
Can I have a glass of water, please?

Can I have a glass of water, please? (Restaurant/Home)

Informel
Can I get some water?

Can I get some water? (Restaurant/Home)

Argot
Can I grab a water?

Can I grab a water? (Restaurant/Home)

Can : Questions et Négations

CAN (Verbe Modal)

Questions

  • Can + Subject + Verb? Can you swim?
  • Permission Can I sit here?
  • Request Can you help me?

Négations

  • Subject + can't + Verb I can't dance.
  • Subject + cannot + Verb We cannot wait.
  • Inability He can't see.
  • Denial of Permission You can't go.

Règles clés

  • No 's' for 3rd person He can, not He cans.
  • Base verb always Can you speak, not to speak.
  • No 'do/does' Can you, not Do you can.

Faire des questions : 'Can' vs. Autres verbes

Avec 'Can'
Can you swim? Question de capacité.
Can she come? Question de permission.
Avec 'Be' (Rappel A1)
Are you hungry? Question sur l'état d'être.
Is he a student? Question d'identité.
Avec 'Do/Does' (Plus tard A1/A2)
Do you like pizza? Question sur l'habitude/préférence.
Does she work here? Question sur l'action/un fait.

Former une question ou une négation avec 'Can'

1

Veux-tu exprimer une capacité ou une permission ?

YES
Utilise 'can' !
NO
Cette règle n'est pas pour toi.
2

Est-ce une question ?

YES
Commence par 'Can' + Sujet + Verbe de base.
NO
Passe à l'étape suivante.
3

Est-ce une phrase négative ?

YES
Utilise Sujet + 'can't' / 'cannot' + Verbe de base.
NO
Tu as peut-être besoin de 'can' pour une phrase affirmative (Sujet + can + Verbe de base).
4

Ton verbe principal a-t-il 'to' ou '-s' ?

YES
Enlève-le ! 'Can' prend toujours la forme de base.
NO
Super ! Tu es sur la bonne voie.

Quand utiliser 'Can' et 'Can't'

💪

Capacité

  • Can you swim?
  • I can't dance.
  • She can speak French.

Permission

  • Can I sit here?
  • You can't go yet.
  • We can leave now.
🙏

Requêtes

  • Can you help me?
  • Can I have water?
  • Can you close the door?
💡

Possibilité

  • It can be cold.
  • This can't be true.
  • He can be late.

Exemples par niveau

1

Can you swim?

Can you swim?

2

I can't cook.

I cannot cook.

3

Can he play football?

Can he play football?

4

They cannot come today.

They cannot come today.

1

Can I open the window?

Can I open the window?

2

You can't smoke here.

You are not allowed to smoke here.

3

Can you tell me the time?

Can you tell me the time?

4

We can't find the museum.

We are unable to find the museum.

1

Can't you see I'm busy?

Can't you see I'm busy?

2

It can't be a mistake.

It is impossible that it is a mistake.

3

Can anything be done about it?

Is there any possible solution?

4

I can't help but wonder why.

I cannot stop myself from wondering why.

1

Cannot we find a better solution?

Is it not possible for us to find a better solution?

2

You can't have finished already!

I don't believe you have finished already.

3

Can such a thing really happen?

Is it actually possible for such a thing to occur?

4

One cannot simply walk into Mordor.

It is not possible for a person to just walk in.

1

Can you not make that noise?

Please stop making that noise.

2

The importance of this cannot be overstated.

This is extremely important.

3

Can it be that she forgot?

Is it possible that she forgot?

4

I can't say I'm surprised.

I am not surprised at all.

1

Try as he might, he cannot but fail.

No matter how hard he tries, he will inevitably fail.

2

Can we but hope for the best?

Is there anything else we can do except hope?

3

The results can't have been more disappointing.

The results were as disappointing as possible.

4

One can't very well ask for a refund now.

It is socially awkward or impossible to ask for a refund now.

Facile à confondre

Can: Questions & Negatives vs Can vs. May

Learners use 'can' for permission and 'may' for ability incorrectly.

Can: Questions & Negatives vs Can vs. Be able to

Learners try to use 'can' in the future or past perfect.

Can: Questions & Negatives vs Can vs. Could

Using 'can' for past abilities.

Erreurs courantes

Do you can swim?

Can you swim?

We don't use 'do' with 'can'.

I can to play.

I can play.

Never use 'to' after 'can'.

He cans swim.

He can swim.

'Can' never takes an 's', even for he/she/it.

I no can go.

I can't go.

English needs 'not' or 'n't' after the verb, not 'no' before it.

Can you to help me?

Can you help me?

Still adding 'to' in questions.

I don't can come.

I can't come.

Using 'don't' instead of 'can't'.

Can you speaking English?

Can you speak English?

Using -ing instead of the base form.

I will can go tomorrow.

I will be able to go tomorrow.

'Can' has no future form with 'will'.

It's important to can swim.

It's important to be able to swim.

'Can' has no infinitive form (no 'to can').

I haven't could sleep.

I haven't been able to sleep.

'Can' has no past participle.

Structures de phrases

Can you ___?

I can't ___ because ___.

Can I ___ please?

Why can't we ___?

Real World Usage

Texting a friend constant

Can u come tonight?

At the Airport very common

Can I see your boarding pass?

Job Interview common

Can you work on weekends?

Ordering Food constant

Can I have the burger without onions?

Social Media very common

I can't even!!

Doctor's Office occasional

Can you feel this?

💡

Toujours la forme de base

Imagine que tu écris un message. Le verbe après 'can' est toujours simple : I can play. (pas 'to play' ou 'playing').
⚠️

Pas de 'Do' ou 'Does' !

Tu parles à un ami. C'est une règle très importante ! 'Can' n'a pas besoin de 'do' pour les questions : Can you swim?
🎯

Les contractions sont reines

Tu textes un copain. Pour dire 'cannot', utilise 'can't'. C'est plus naturel et rapide : "I can't come."
🌍

La politesse avec 'Can'

Tu es dans un magasin. Pour être encore plus poli, ajoute 'please' :
Can you help me, please?
💡

Écoute bien la différence

Dans une conversation, 'can' est souvent court quand tu dis oui, mais 'can't' est très clair quand tu dis non : I can speak. vs "I can't speak."

Smart Tips

Remember the 'Inversion Rule': just swap the first two words of the statement. No extra words allowed!

Do you can help me? Can you help me?

Always use 'cannot' as one single word. Writing 'can not' is a common typo even for natives.

I can not attend. I cannot attend.

Listen for the vowel length and the stress. 'Can't' is usually longer and louder than the weak 'can'.

I can go. (fast, weak) I CAN'T go. (slow, strong)

Switch from 'Can I' to 'Could I'. It's a small change that makes a big difference in tone.

Can I use your phone? Could I use your phone?

Prononciation

/kən juː swɪm/

The Weak 'Can'

In positive sentences and questions, 'can' is usually unstressed and sounds like /kən/ (rhymes with 'sun').

/aɪ kænt goʊ/ (US) or /aɪ kɑːnt ɡəʊ/ (UK)

The Strong 'Can't'

The negative 'can't' is always stressed. In American English, it's /kænt/. In British English, it's often /kɑːnt/.

Rising Intonation

Can you help me? ↗

Standard yes/no question tone.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

CAN is a CAPTAIN: He doesn't need a 'Do-Assistant' to lead the sentence.

Association visuelle

Imagine a giant 'X' over the word 'DO' whenever you see 'CAN'. Also, imagine 'CAN' and the 'SUBJECT' on a playground see-saw, swapping places for questions.

Rhyme

To ask a question, don't be slow: move 'Can' to the front and you're good to go!

Story

A robot named 'Can' is very independent. He refuses to hold hands with 'To' and he hates the letter 'S'. He also likes to jump to the front of the line whenever someone asks him a question.

Word Web

cancan'tcannotabilitypermissionpossiblerequest

Défi

Look around your room. Find 3 things you CAN do (e.g., 'I can see a lamp') and 3 things you CAN'T do (e.g., 'I can't fly'). Then, ask a friend or Siri/Google 'Can you...?' questions for 2 minutes.

Notes culturelles

The pronunciation of 'can't' is a major dialect marker. Americans use a flat 'a' (like 'cat'), while many British speakers use a broad 'a' (like 'car').

While 'Can I...?' is standard, adding 'please' is culturally expected in service industries to avoid sounding demanding.

In older generations or very traditional schools, using 'can' for permission is still sometimes corrected, though this is fading.

From the Old English 'cunnan', which meant 'to know' or 'to know how to'.

Amorces de conversation

Can you play any musical instruments?

Can you speak more than two languages?

Can you cook a traditional dish from your country?

Can you imagine living in a different country?

Sujets d'écriture

Write about 5 things you can do and 5 things you can't do.
Write a short dialogue between a tourist and a local using only 'Can' questions.
Describe your dream job. What skills can you use there?
Think of a rule in your city that you dislike. Why can't people do that thing?

Erreurs courantes

Incorrect

Correct


Incorrect

Correct


Incorrect

Correct


Incorrect

Correct

Test Yourself

Choisis la bonne forme pour compléter la question.

___ you speak French?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Can
'Can' est utilisé pour poser une question sur une capacité, et il n'a pas besoin de 'do' ou 'are' comme verbe auxiliaire.
Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

He can't to play the piano.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He can't play the piano.
Après 'can' ou 'can't', le verbe principal est toujours à sa forme de base sans 'to'.
Traduis la phrase en anglais. Traduction

Translate into English: 'No puedo ir a la fiesta.'

Answer starts with: ["I...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["I can't go to the party.","I cannot go to the party."]
Utilise 'can't' ou 'cannot' pour la forme négative de 'can'. 'Go' est le verbe de base.
Choisis la phrase correcte : Choix multiple

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Can she sing well?
Pour les questions avec 'can', mets 'Can' en premier, puis le sujet, puis la forme de base du verbe. 'Can' ne change pas de forme pour 'she' et n'a pas besoin de 'do/does'.

Score: /4

Exercices pratiques

8 exercises
Choose the correct question form. Choix multiple

___ you speak English?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Can you
We don't use 'do' or 'are' with 'can'. We just move 'can' to the front.
Fill in the negative form (contraction).

I ___ (can) swim. I am afraid of water.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: can't
'Can't' is the standard contraction for 'cannot'.
Find the mistake in this sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

She can't to drive a car.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to
We never use 'to' after 'can' or 'can't'.
Put the words in the correct order to make a question. Sentence Reorder

help / you / me / can / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Can you help me?
The order for questions is: Can + Subject + Verb.
Translate 'He cannot come' into a natural English contraction. Traduction

He ___ come.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: can't
'He can't' is the natural negative form.
Match the question to the correct short answer. Match Pairs

1. Can you swim? | 2. Can he drive? | 3. Can they sing?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Yes, I can; 2-No, he can't; 3-Yes, they can
Short answers must use the same verb as the question ('can').
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Can I sit here? B: No, sorry, you ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: can't
The negative short answer is 'No, you can't'.
Is this rule true or false? True False Rule

We add 's' to 'can' when the subject is 'he' or 'she'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
'Can' is a modal verb and never changes its form.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

13 exercises
Complète la phrase avec la bonne forme. Texte trous

We ___ see the screen clearly.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: can't
Trouve et corrige l'erreur. Error Correction

Do you can speak English?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Can you speak English?
Quelle phrase est grammaticalement correcte ? Choix multiple

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He can't drive.
Traduis en anglais. Traduction

Translate into English: 'Ella no puede venir mañana.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["She can't come tomorrow.","She cannot come tomorrow."]
Remets les mots dans l'ordre pour former une question correcte. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Can you explain this to me?
Associe le sujet à la forme correcte de 'can' pour une phrase négative. Match Pairs

Match the subjects with the correct form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Choisis le meilleur mot pour compléter la phrase. Texte trous

Sorry, I ___ help you right now.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: can't
Corrige l'erreur dans la phrase. Error Correction

She cans sing very well.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She can sing very well.
Sélectionne la phrase correcte. Choix multiple

Which sentence correctly asks about ability?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Can he play tennis?
Traduis la phrase en anglais. Traduction

Translate into English: 'Puedes ayudarme con mi tarea?'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["Can you help me with my homework?"]
Remets les mots dans l'ordre pour former une phrase négative correcte. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I can't find my phone.
Choisis le mot correct. Texte trous

___ I borrow your pen?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Can
Sélectionne la phrase négative correcte. Choix multiple

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: We can't go.

Score: /13

FAQ (8)

Yes, but it's very rare. It is usually only used for extreme emphasis, like 'I can NOT believe you did that!'. Normally, use `cannot` or `can't`.

Because `can` is a modal verb. Modal verbs are like 'super verbs'—they don't need the help of `do` to make questions or negatives.

You can use it for future arrangements (e.g., 'I can meet you tomorrow'), but for general future ability, you must use `will be able to`.

`can't` is for speaking and casual writing. `cannot` is for formal documents and academic essays. They mean the same thing.

Yes, `Can I have...` is very common and polite if you add `please`. If you want to be extra formal, you can use `Could I have...`.

It's a regional accent difference. Americans say it with a short 'a' (cat), and many British people say it with a long 'a' (car). Both are correct!

No. Modal verbs like `can` are always followed by the 'bare infinitive', which means the verb without the word `to`.

Mostly, yes. `Can` is more common in daily speech. `Be able to` is used when `can` is grammatically impossible (like after 'will' or 'have').

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Poder

English 'can' has no conjugation; Spanish 'poder' does.

French moderate

Pouvoir

French uses 'est-ce que' or inversion; English uses only inversion for 'can'.

German high

Können

German conjugates 'können' (ich kann, du kannst).

Japanese low

Potential form (~eru/~aru) or 'dekiru'

Japanese uses verb suffixes; English uses a separate modal verb.

Arabic low

Yastati'u (يستطيع)

Arabic 'can' is a complex conjugated verb; English 'can' is a simple particle.

Chinese partial

Huì (会) / Néng (能)

Chinese has two words for 'can' based on the type of ability.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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