kënnen

Can: Kënnen

Level 1

Kënnen means can: Ech ka schwammen. (I can swim.) Kanns du mir hëllefen? (Can you help me?)

How It Works

Present tense

  • ech kann
  • du kanns
  • hien / si / hatt / et kann
  • mir kënnen
  • dir kënnt
  • si kënnen
  • Dir kënnt (polite)

The n-rule
Kann and kënnen lose their final n before most consonants (see the n-rule with verbs): Ech ka schwammen, Mir kënne goen. They keep it before a vowel, before d, h, n, t, z and before punctuation: Ech kann hei parken.

What kënnen expresses

  • ability: Ech ka schwammen.
  • possibility: Et kann haut nach reenen. (It may still rain today.)
  • requests and permission in everyday speech: Kanns du mir hëllefen? Kann ech wannechgelift e Glas Waasser kréien?

For a softer request, use kéint. Formal permission is expressed with däerfen.

Word order
Kënnen is the conjugated verb in second place; the infinitive goes to the end, without ze: Mir kënnen haut net kommen. See modal + infinitive.

Watch out: hie kënnt is a form of kommen (he comes), not of kënnen.

Examples (6)

  1. Ech ka schwammen.

    I can swim.

    Word by Word: I can swim.

    Kann loses its n before s.

  2. Kanns du mir hëllefen?

    Can you help me?

    Word by Word: Can you me help?

  3. Mir kënnen haut net kommen.

    We can't come today.

    Word by Word: We can today not come.

    Kënnen keeps its n before h.

  4. Dir kënnt hei parken.

    You can park here.

    Word by Word: You can here park.

    Polite Dir takes kënnt.

  5. Kann ech wannechgelift e Glas Waasser kréien?

    Could I have a glass of water, please?

    Word by Word: Can I please a glass water get?

  6. Et kann haut nach reenen.

    It may still rain today.

    Word by Word: It can today still rain.

    Kënnen can also express possibility.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the n of kann before a consonant.

    Ech kann schwammen.
    Ech ka schwammen.

    By the n-rule, kann becomes ka before s. Keep the n before a vowel or d, h, n, t, z.

  • Adding -t in the third person singular.

    Hatt kënnt gutt danzen.
    Hatt kann gutt danzen.

    The he/she/it form is kann, like the ech form. Hatt kënnt means she comes.

  • Putting ze before the infinitive.

    Ech kann ze kommen.
    Ech ka kommen.

    Modal verbs are followed by a bare infinitive, without ze. Without ze, kann comes before k, so it becomes ka.

How It Connects

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kënnenLevel 1Can: Kënnen

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kënnen