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 the perfect tense to say what someone has had to do, has been able to do, etc. The modal stays as an infinitive at the very end.
In the perfect tense the modal verb stays as an infinitive at the end. The auxiliary haben is conjugated:
| Person | Context | haben (auxiliary) |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe |
| du | you (one person, informal) | hast |
| er/sie/es | he / she / it | hat |
| wir | we | haben |
| ihr | you (several people, informal) | habt |
| sie/Sie | they / you (formal, one or more people) | haben |
Structure: subject + haben + ... + main verb infinitive + können
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 hast Deutsch sprechen können
You (informal, one person) have been able to speak German - Ihr habt Deutsch sprechen können
You (informal, several people) have been able to speak German - Sie haben Deutsch sprechen können
You (formal) have been able to speak German
- Deutsch sprechen – speak German
- langsam gehen – walk slowly
- gut schlafen – sleep well
- dem Arzt helfen – help the doctor
- Affirmative: Ich habe Deutsch sprechen können.
I have been able to speak German - Negative: Du hast nicht langsam gehen können.
You (informal, one person) have not been able to walk slowly - Affirmative: Der Patient hat gut schlafen können.
The patient has been able to sleep well - Affirmative: Sie haben dem Arzt helfen können.
You (formal) have been able to help the doctor - Question: Hast du Deutsch sprechen können?
Have you (informal, one person) been able to speak German? - Negative: Wir haben nicht langsam gehen können.
We have not been able to 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) have been able to speak German
Show answer
Sie haben Deutsch sprechen können.
Translate to German: You (informal, one person) have not been able to walk slowly
Show answer
Du hast nicht langsam gehen können.
Ask the question in German: Have you (informal, one person) been able to sleep well?
Show answer
Hast du gut schlafen können?
Put the words in the correct order: dem / Patient / Arzt / hat / Der / helfen / können
Show answer
Der Patient hat dem Arzt helfen können
- Meaning: können means to be able to / can.
- Key forms: In the perfect tense, können stays as an infinitive at the very end, after the main verb: the double-infinitive order is ... + main verb + können.
- Word order: Subject + haben (conjugated) + ... + main verb infinitive + modal infinitive.
- 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.