kunna að
May (Kunna Að)
Það kann að rigna á morgun. (It may rain tomorrow.) Here kunna að means "may", not "know how to".
How It Works
Two meanings.
- Know how to, the everyday meaning: Hún kann að synda. (She knows how to swim.) See kunna.
- May, a formal meaning: Það kann að rigna á morgun. (It may rain tomorrow.)
The "may" meaning is common with things, events and það, where knowing how makes no sense: Þetta kann að virðast skrítið. With a person, look at the context: Hann kann að hafa rétt fyrir sér (He may be right).
Forms. kunna is a preterite-present verb: það kann, þær kunna. The past subjunctive kynni is softer, like "might": Það kynni að vera betra að bíða.
Past possibility. Use hafa + supine: Hann kann að hafa misst af strætó (He may have missed the bus).
Register. In everyday speech, kannski or það getur verið að is more common. kunna að in this meaning belongs to news, reports and formal writing. See formal and everyday registers.
Examples (6)
- Það kann að rigna á morgun.
It may rain tomorrow.
Word by Word: It can to rain on morning.
- Þetta kann að virðast skrítið.
This may seem strange.
Word by Word: This can to seem strange.
- Hann kann að hafa rétt fyrir sér.
He may be right.
Word by Word: He can to have right before himself.
- Einhverjar tafir kunna að verða á fluginu.
There may be some delays to the flight.
Word by Word: Some delays can to become on the-flight.
The verb is plural because tafir is plural.
- Það kynni að vera betra að bíða.
It might be better to wait.
Word by Word: It could to be better to wait.
kynni is the past subjunctive and sounds softer.
- Hún kann að synda.
She knows how to swim.
Word by Word: She knows to swim.
Here kunna að has its everyday meaning.
Common Mistakes
Using a finite verb instead of the infinitive.
Það kann að rignir á morgun.Það kann að rigna á morgun.After kunna að, use the infinitive rigna.
Not making kunna agree with a plural subject.
Tafir kann að verða.Tafir kunna að verða.tafir is plural, so the verb is plural too: kunna.
How It Connects
Learn This First
kunna að builds on preterite-present verbs.
Related Patterns
- kunnaKnow How (Kunna)
The everyday meaning: know how to, know a language.
Level 2 - kannski / líklegaMaybe and Probably
The everyday words for maybe and probably.
Level 4 - megaMay (Mega)
Another verb for may, used for permission.
Level 1 - Formal and Everyday Registers
kunna að for "may" belongs to formal writing.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice kunna að in Bubblegum
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