يمكن أن

It Is Possible to

Level 2

The phrase يمكن أن (yumkinu an) is the standard way to say 'it is possible' or 'can' in Modern Standard Arabic. It is followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood.

How It Works

The construction يمكن أن is an impersonal expression. This means the verb يمكن (it is possible) does not conjugate to match the person doing the action; instead, the person is identified by the verb that follows أن.

1. Structure:
The most common structure is: يمكن أن + Subjunctive Verb.
Example: يمكن أن نذهبَ (It is possible that we go / We can go).

2. Specifying the Person:
While the verb can remain impersonal, you can also attach object pronouns directly to يمكن to specify who the possibility applies to:

  • يمكنني أن... (It is possible for me to...)
  • يمكنك أن... (It is possible for you to...)
  • يمكننا أن... (It is possible for us to...)

3. Possibility vs. Ability:
In Arabic, there is a distinction between يمكن (possibility/permission) and يستطيع (physical or mental ability). Use يمكن when the situation allows for something to happen, and يستطيع when you have the skill or strength to do it.

4. Using the Verbal Noun:
Alternatively, you can follow يمكن directly with a verbal noun (Masdar) without using أن. For example: يمكن الدخول (Entry is possible / One can enter).

Examples (4)

  1. يمكن أن نلتقي غداً في المكتب.

    It is possible for us to meet tomorrow at the office.

    Word by Word: It-is-possible that we-meet tomorrow in the-office.

    Here, 'yumkinu' remains in the 3rd person masculine singular, while the verb 'naltaqiya' (we meet) shows who is performing the action.

  2. هل يمكنك أن تساعدني في هذا العمل؟

    Can you help me with this work?

    Word by Word: Question-particle it-is-possible-for-you that you-help-me in this the-work?

    In this example, the pronoun suffix '-ka' (you) is attached to 'yumkinu' to clarify who is being asked.

  3. يمكن أن ينسى الإنسان موعده.

    It is possible for a person to forget his appointment.

    Word by Word: It-is-possible that forgets the-human appointment-his.

    This demonstrates a general possibility. The verb 'yansā' is in the subjunctive mood after 'an'.

  4. لا يمكن أن نترك المدينة الآن.

    It is not possible for us to leave the city now.

    Word by Word: Not it-is-possible that we-leave the-city now.

    To negate the possibility, simply place 'lā' before 'yumkinu'.

Common Mistakes

  • Conjugating 'yumkinu' to match the subject.

    نمكن أن نذهب إلى السوق.
    يمكن أن نذهب إلى السوق.

    Learners often try to change 'yumkinu' to 'numkinu' for 'we'. In MSA, the main verb stays as 'yumkinu' (it is possible) regardless of the subject.

  • Using the indicative mood instead of the subjunctive after 'an'.

    يمكن أن نذهبُ.
    يمكن أن نذهبَ.

    The particle 'an' always requires the following verb to be in the subjunctive mood (usually ending in -a).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

يمكن أنLevel 2It Is Possible to

Learn This First

To understand 'يمكن أن' (It is possible to), you first need to be comfortable with the present tense verb and how the particle 'أن' functions to link verbs. Specifically, you must understand that 'أن' requires the following verb to be in the subjunctive mood (mansub).

Words in This Pattern

أمكنأن