мога да + Verb

Being Able with Мога Да

Level 1Sounds Like moga da

Мога да + verb means can: Мога да плувам. (I can swim.) Both verbs agree with the subject.

How It Works

Мога means I can or I am able to. It covers ability, a learned skill, possibility and permission: Мога да дойда (I can come), Мога да готвя (I can cook), Мога ли да вляза? (May I come in?)

The forms of мога. The г of мога changes to ж in most forms. See consonant changes in the present.

  • аз мога, ти можеш, той/тя може
  • ние можем, вие можете, те могат

Да instead of an infinitive. English says can swim with a bare verb. Bulgarian has no infinitive, so the second verb comes after да and takes a normal present-tense ending in the same person: мога да плувам, можеш да плуваш, могат да плуват. The same pattern is used with искам да and трябва да.

Questions and negation. Add ли after мога to ask: Можеш ли да дойдеш? Put не before it to deny: Не мога да дойда. (I can't come.)

For one finished action, the verb after да is often perfective: Мога да ти помогна. (I can help you.) See perfective verbs after да. To ask permission without naming a person, use може ли.

Examples (6)

  1. Мога да плувам.

    I can swim.

    Word by Word: I-can that I-swim.

  2. Можеш ли да ми помогнеш?

    Can you help me?

    Word by Word: You-can question-particle that me you-help?

  3. Днес не мога да дойда.

    I can't come today.

    Word by Word: Today not I-can that I-come.

  4. Децата могат да играят навън.

    The children can play outside.

    Word by Word: Children-the they-can that they-play outside.

  5. Можем ли да платим с карта?

    Can we pay by card?

    Word by Word: We-can question-particle that we-pay with card?

  6. Тя може да кара кола.

    She can drive a car.

    Word by Word: She can that she-drives car.

    The verb after да is in the same person as the subject: тя може да кара.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out да.

    Мога плувам.
    Мога да плувам.

    Bulgarian has no infinitive, so the second verb needs да before it.

  • Putting the second verb in the wrong person.

    Той може да плувам.
    Той може да плува.

    When the same person does both actions, both verbs agree with the subject: той може, той плува.

  • Using an unchanged мога for every person.

    Ние мога да дойдем.
    Ние можем да дойдем.

    Мога changes for person like other verbs: ние можем.

How It Connects

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

мога да + VerbLevel 1Being Able with Мога Да

Learn This First

Being able with мога да follows искам да.

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Words in This Pattern

мога