kunna

Know How (Kunna)

Level 2

Ég kann íslensku. (I know Icelandic.) Kanntu að synda? (Can you swim?) kunna is for knowledge you have learned.

How It Works

The forms. kunna has no -ur in the singular (Verbs Like Vita and Kunna):

  • ég kann, þú kannt, hún kann
  • við kunnum, þið kunnið, þau kunna
  • Past: kunni; supine: kunnað

With þú joined on, kannt þú becomes kanntu.

What you can kunna.

  • A language: Ég kann íslensku og ensku. Language names take -u here, as after tala.
  • A skill, with að + infinitive: Kanntu að synda? Ég kann ekki að elda.
  • Something learned by heart: Hún kann ljóðið utan að. Kunnið þið þetta lag?

kunna or geta? kunna is about having learned something. geta is about being able to at a given moment: Ég kann að synda, en ég get ekki synt í dag (I know how to swim, but I can't swim today).

A useful phrase. kunna vel við means to like a place or person: Ég kann vel við mig hérna (I like it here).

Examples (6)

  1. Ég kann íslensku.

    I know Icelandic.

    Word by Word: I know Icelandic.

  2. Kanntu að synda?

    Can you swim?

    Word by Word: Know-you to swim?

  3. Ég kann ekki að elda.

    I can't cook.

    Word by Word: I know not to cook.

  4. Hún kann ljóðið utan að.

    She knows the poem by heart.

    Word by Word: She knows the-poem outside at.

  5. Kunnið þið þetta lag?

    Do you all know this song?

    Word by Word: Know you(pl) this song?

  6. Ég kann vel við mig hérna.

    I like it here.

    Word by Word: I know well with myself here.

Common Mistakes

  • Using vita for a language or skill.

    Ég veit íslensku.
    Ég kann íslensku.

    vita is for facts. Languages and skills take kunna.

  • Using kunna for a person.

    Ég kann hann vel.
    Ég þekki hann vel.

    To know a person or a place, use þekkja.

  • Leaving the language in its dictionary form.

    Ég kann íslenska.
    Ég kann íslensku.

    The language is the object, so íslenska becomes íslensku.

How It Connects

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

kunnaLevel 2Know How (Kunna)

Learn This First

kunna builds on geta and languages.

Words in This Pattern

kunnaað