Can and able: singular 'können' + infinitive | German

Starter quiz

The dictionary form of the verb is called the ______.
- 'infinitive' ✓
What is meant by 'word order'?
- correct spelling and punctuation
- the sequence of words in a sentence ✓
- the words for 'the' or 'a' which come before a noun
Match the German and English.
- langweilig
  
  ⇔
  
  boring ✓
- total
  
  ⇔
  
  totally ✓
- gut
  
  ⇔
  
  good, well ✓
- ganz
  
  ⇔
  
  whole, all the ✓
- ziemlich
  
  ⇔
  
  quite ✓
- jetzt
  
  ⇔
  
  now ✓
Match the German and English.
- schön sein
  
  ⇔
  
  to be nice ✓
- schwierig sein
  
  ⇔
  
  to be difficult ✓
- schlecht singen
  
  ⇔
  
  to sing badly ✓
- in die Schule gehen
  
  ⇔
  
  to go to school ✓
- die Lehrer verstehen
  
  ⇔
  
  to understand the teachers ✓
- nichts haben
  
  ⇔
  
  to have nothing ✓
Which of the following words are conjugated verbs?
- mag ✓
- spielst ✓
- sein
- redet ✓
- es
Translate the following sentence into German: 'I have a piece.'
- 'Ich habe ein Stück.' ✓

Match the German and English.
- benutzen
  
  ⇔
  
  to use, using ✓
- essen
  
  ⇔
  
  to eat, eating ✓
- Obst (nt)
  
  ⇔
  
  fruit ✓
- Keks (m)
  
  ⇔
  
  biscuit ✓
- sehen
  
  ⇔
  
  to see, seeing ✓
- Hose (f)
  
  ⇔
  
  trousers ✓
Complete the missing sound-symbol correspondence: '__sgehen' (to go out).
- 'au' ✓
Which of these statements are correct?
- the 1st and 3rd person singular forms of 'können' are the same: 'kann' ✓
- 'können' is a weak verb
- 'können' is a modal verb ✓
- 'können' means 'to be able to' ✓
- the 1st and 2nd person singular forms of 'können' are the same: 'kann'
A modal verb such as 'können' works with a second verb in the infinitive. Where does the infinitive come in the sentence?
- next to the subject
- next to a form of 'können'
- at the end of the sentence ✓
Translate the following sentence into English: 'Er kann im Garten arbeiten.'
- 'He can work in the garden.' ✓
Translate the following sentence into German: 'Mia can swim.'
- 'Mia kann schwimmen.' ✓

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[au] is pronounced as in 'Haus'.
Learning new vocabulary (especially verbs) allows you to use familiar vocabulary in different ways.
'Können' is a modal verb used to say what you can and cannot do (as in physically or situationally able).
'Kann' means 'can' and is used with 'ich', 'sie', 'er', 'es'. 'Du kannst' means 'you can'.
Modal verbs such as 'können' require a 2nd verb in the infinitive, placed at the end of the sentence.

The infinitive comes directly after the form of 'können', as in English: 'I can play guitar'.

The infinitive comes at the end of the sentence in German when used with a modal verb such as 'können', as in 'Ich kann Gitarre spielen'.

[au] - pronounced as in 'Haus'
Modal verb - verb of necessity or possibility (must, can, want) used with a 2nd verb in the infinitive, which goes to the end
Können - a modal verb meaning 'to be able to'