können
to be able to / can
können means to be able to / can.
Use können when someone has the ability, skill or possibility to do something.
We use Präteritum to describe past situations: patient histories, what happened yesterday, or what the doctor said.
| Person | Context | können |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | konnte |
| du | you (one person, informal) | konntest |
| er/sie/es | he / she / it | konnte |
| wir | we | konnten |
| ihr | you (several people, informal) | konntet |
| sie/Sie | they / you (formal, one or more people) | konnten |
German has three ways to say you:
- du – informal, one person
- ihr – informal, several people
- Sie – formal, one or more people (always capitalised when it means “you”)
The word sie (lowercase) can also mean she or they. Context and the verb form tell them apart:
- sie ist = she is
- sie sind = they are
- Sie sind = you are (formal)
Clinical register: In medical practice, use Sie with patients. Du/ihr are for colleagues, friends, or family.
Medical examples with the three you forms:
- Du konntest Deutsch sprechen
You (informal, one person) could / were able to speak German - Ihr konntet Deutsch sprechen
You (informal, several people) could / were able to speak German - Sie konnten Deutsch sprechen
You (formal) could / were able to speak German
- Deutsch sprechen – speak German
- langsam gehen – walk slowly
- gut schlafen – sleep well
- dem Arzt helfen – help the doctor
- Affirmative: Ich konnte Deutsch sprechen.
I could / was able to speak German - Negative: Du konntest nicht langsam gehen.
You (informal, one person) could not walk slowly - Affirmative: Der Patient konnte gut schlafen.
The patient could / was able to sleep well - Affirmative: Sie konnten dem Arzt helfen.
You (formal) could / were able to help the doctor - Question: Konntest du Deutsch sprechen?
Could you (informal, one person) speak German? - Negative: Wir konnten nicht langsam gehen.
We could not walk slowly
- Conjugation — type the correct form for each person.
- Multiple choice — pick the verb that fits the sentence.
- Fill in the blank — type the missing modal form.
- Reorder — put the words in correct German order (modal in position 2, infinitive at the end).
- Dialogue — fill in the missing verb at the start of a doctor-patient question.
- Error correction — find and fix the wrong verb form.
- Translate — write the German sentence from English.
- Match — pair persons with forms or verbs with meanings.
Translate to German: You (formal) could / were able to speak German
Show answer
Sie konnten Deutsch sprechen.
Translate to German: You (informal, one person) could not walk slowly
Show answer
Du konntest nicht langsam gehen.
Ask the question in German: Could you (informal, one person) sleep well?
Show answer
Konntest du gut schlafen?
Put the words in the correct order: helfen / Arzt / Patient / Der / konnte / dem
Show answer
Der Patient konnte dem Arzt helfen
- Meaning: können means to be able to / can.
- Key forms: Präteritum forms of können: ich konnte, du konntest, er/sie/es konnte, wir konnten, ihr konntet, sie/Sie konnten.
- Word order: Subject + Präteritum form of the modal + main verb at the end.
- Register: Use Sie with patients; du/ihr with peers, friends or family.
Practice this verb with exercises, or take a mixed test with all verbs.