Modals: can / can't / could
You can express ability, permission and requests with can, can't and could.
Start the 8-question quizAdapts to your answers · every miss links back to the rule
Rule in 60 secondsThe one pattern to memorise.
- Kural 1: can + yalın fiil:
I can swim.Soru:Can you swim?Olumsuz: can't.
- Kural 2: can her özneyle aynı kalır, -s almaz: She can swim.
- Kural 3: could = can'in geçmişi (I could swim when I was 5) + kibar rica (Could you help?).
- Kural 4: İzin:
Can I go out?Rica:Can/Could you open the window?
- Kural 5: Yasak A1'de can't ile:
You can't smoke here.
- Kural 6: Gelecek planında da can kullanılır:
I can meet you tomorrow.
- Kural 7: Teklif kalıbı:
Can I help you?/Can I carry that?
- Kural 8: Yetenek sorusu:
Can you swim?— cevap hep can/can't ile.
- Kural 9: İzin + yasak ikilisi:
Can I park here? — No, you can't.
- Kural 10: Kibarlık sırası: Could you...? > Can you...? > ...please!
- Kural 11: Cevap + alternatif:
No, I can't, but she can.
FormsHow it looks in sentences.
| Form | Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| + Ability | S + can + V | I can swim. / She can drive. |
| − Ability | S + can't + V | He can't fly. / They can't come. |
| ? Ability | Can + S + V? | Can you swim? / Can she drive? |
| Permission | Can + I ...? | Can I go out? / Can I use your pen? |
| Request | Can/Could + you ...? | Can you help me? / Could you open it? |
| Prohibition | You + can't + V | You can't smoke here. |
| Past ability | S + could + V | I could swim when I was five. |
| Past − | S + couldn't + V | He couldn't walk last year. |
| Short answer | Yes, S + can. / No, S + can't. | Yes, I can. / No, she can't. |
| Know-how | can + V (beceri) | She can cook well. / He can speak Turkish. |
- Not 1: can't = cannot. couldn't = could not.
- Not 2: could sorusu daha kibar: Could you...? > Can you...?
3 classic trapsWhere Turkish speakers slip.
Bu bölümdeki 3 tuzağa tek bakışta dikkat et.
- can'den sonra to yok, fiile -s yok: ✗ She can to swim. / She cans swim. → ✓ She can swim; ✗ He can plays chess. → ✓ He can play chess — can her zaman + yalın fiil, özne fark etmez.
- Soru sırası: Can başa gelir, do yok: ✗ Do you can swim? → ✓ Can you swim; ✗ You can swim? (yazıda) → ✓ Can you swim — can kendi başına yardımcı fiildir, do/does almaz.
- could ≠ şimdiki yetenek (genelde): ✗ I could swim very well. (şimdi) → ✓ I can swim very well — could = geçmiş yetenek ya da kibar rica; Şimdi yapabiliyorsan can, çocukken yapabiliyorsan could.
10 example sentencesRead aloud, twice.
Her cümleyi sesli oku, önce İngilizceyi sonra Türkçesini söyle.
- I can swim. — Yüzebilirim.
- She can't drive. — Araba kullanamaz.
- Can you help me? — Bana yardım edebilir misin?
- Can I use your phone? — Telefonunu kullanabilir miyim?
- You can't eat here. — Burada yiyemezsin. (yasak).
- I could read when I was four. — Dört yaşındayken okuyabiliyordum.
- Could you open the window, please? — Pencereyi açar mısın lütfen? (kibar).
- He couldn't walk after the accident. — Kazadan sonra yürüyemedi.
- Yes, I can. / No, I can't. — Evet, yapabilirim. / Hayır, yapamam.
- They can speak three languages. — Üç dil konuşabilirler.
Quick checkCover the answers, say yours first.
- Correct: She cans play tennis.
Answer
She <b>can play</b> tennis. (can değişmez + yalın fiil)
- Make a polite request: you / open / the door.
Answer
<b>Could</b> you open the door, please? (Can de olur, could daha kibar)
- Past or present? "He ___ walk when he was one." (can / could)
Answer
He <b>could</b> walk when he was one. (geçmiş yetenek)