можна / нельга
Permission with Можна and Нельга
Можна + infinitive = it is allowed; нельга + infinitive = it is not allowed: Можна ўвайсці? (May I come in?), Тут нельга паліць (No smoking here).
How It Works
Asking and giving permission.
- Можна ўвайсці? (May I come in?)
- Можна задаць пытанне? (May I ask a question?)
- Так, можна. (Yes, you may.)
A one-word Можна? is a polite "May I?" when the action is obvious, for example when you point at a free chair.
Forbidding. Тут нельга паліць (No smoking here), Дзецям нельга піць каву (Children must not drink coffee).
Naming the person. The person is in the dative, as with мне трэба: Мне можна? (May I?), Табе нельга есці салодкае (You must not eat sweets).
Possible and impossible. Both words have a second meaning. Тут можна купіць білеты means "You can buy tickets here". With a completed-action (perfective) verb, нельга usually means "impossible": Без ключа дзверы нельга адчыніць (The door can't be opened without a key).
Past and future: можна было, нельга было; можна будзе, нельга будзе. Раней тут можна было плаваць (People used to be allowed to swim here). See past and future of impersonal predicates.
Permission is not ability. "I can swim" in the sense of knowing how is Я ўмею плаваць, and "I am able to come" is Я магу прыйсці (see магчы and умець). Можна only says that something is allowed or possible.
Russian look-alike. The Belarusian word is нельга, not нельзя. You may also meet не можна in literature, meaning the same as нельга.
Examples (6)
- Можна ўвайсці?
May I come in?
Word by Word: Allowed to-enter?
ўвайсці: у becomes ў after the vowel of можна.
- Тут нельга паліць.
No smoking here.
Word by Word: Here not-allowed to-smoke.
- Дзецям нельга піць каву.
Children must not drink coffee.
Word by Word: To-children not-allowed to-drink coffee.
дзецям is the dative of дзеці.
- Можна задаць пытанне?
May I ask a question?
Word by Word: Allowed to-put question?
- Раней тут можна было плаваць.
People used to be allowed to swim here.
Word by Word: Earlier here allowed was to-swim.
- Без ключа дзверы нельга адчыніць.
The door can't be opened without a key.
Word by Word: Without key door impossible to-open.
Here нельга means "impossible", not "forbidden".
Common Mistakes
Using the nominative я with можна.
Я можна ўвайсці?Можна мне ўвайсці?Можна does not agree with a subject. Leave the person out, or put it in the dative: мне.
Using the Russian word нельзя.
Тут нельзя паліць.Тут нельга паліць.The Belarusian word is нельга.
Using можна to say what you know how to do.
Мне можна гаварыць па-беларуску.Я ўмею гаварыць па-беларуску.Мне можна гаварыць means "I am allowed to speak". To say that you are able to speak a language, use умець.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Permission follows трэба.
Related Patterns
- Dative + State Word: мне холаднаDative with State Words
Можна and нельга belong to the same group of dative predicate words.
Level 2 - магчы / умецьCan with Магчы and Умець
Магчы and умець express ability, while можна expresses permission.
Level 2 - The Infinitive
Можна and нельга are followed by an infinitive.
Level 1 - ціYes-No Questions with Ці
Ці можна…? is another polite way to ask for permission.
Level 1 - было / будзе + Impersonal WordPast and Future of Impersonal Predicates
Shows можна было and нельга будзе for the past and the future.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice можна / нельга in Bubblegum
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