moći → mogu

Present of Moći

Level 2

Moći has present mogu, možeš, može, možemo, možete and mogu. It commonly combines with an infinitive.

How It Works

Mogu doći. means I can come. Oni mogu doći. means they can come. The same surface form mogu occurs in two positions of the paradigm.

The other forms use ž: možeš, može, možemo, možete. Negation is separate: ne mogu. A polite request can use Možete li pomoći?

Moći can describe ability, opportunity or permission according to context. It does not always mean having learned a skill. Znam plivati specifically says that the speaker knows how to swim; mogu plivati may instead mean that circumstances allow it.

Examples (4)

  1. Mogu doći danas.

    I can come today.

    Mogu combines with infinitive doći.

  2. Možete li pomoći?

    Can you help?

    Možete gives polite or plural address.

  3. Ne možemo čekati.

    We cannot wait.

    Ne is written separately.

  4. Oni mogu plivati.

    They can swim.

    Mogu is third-person plural here; context determines the kind of ability or possibility.

How It Connects

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

moći → moguLevel 2Present of Moći

Learn This First

Moći has irregular forms in the familiar six-person present paradigm.

Words in This Pattern

moći