jista' + imperfect

Being Able to

Level 2

Nista', tista', jista' and nistgħu take finite imperfect complements.

How It Works

Use a person-appropriate modal with an imperfect complement. Useful forms are nista', “I can,” tista', “you can” or “she can,” jista', “he can,” and nistgħu, “we can.” In the ordinary ability construction, both predicates identify the same participant. Preserve the apostrophe in these affirmative singular forms. The complement is finite, rather than an English-style infinitive.

Possibility may concern practical ability or circumstances. Negation placement changes scope: ma nistax naqra means “I cannot read,” whereas nista' ma naqrax means “it is possible for me not to read.” The latter can concern uncertainty or an available option; it does not express inability. Possibility concerning a complete proposition is developed separately with jista' jkun li.

Examples (3)

  1. Nista' naqra l-ittra.

    I can read the letter.

    Both predicates identify the speaker.

  2. Tista' taħdem għada?

    Can you work tomorrow?

    The question asks whether the action is possible for the addressee.

  3. Nistgħu nifhmu din l-istorja.

    We can understand this story.

    Both predicates identify first-person plural participants.

How It Connects

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jista' + imperfectLevel 2Being Able to

Learn This First

Introduce person-specific modal forms followed by finite imperfect actions. The ordinary ability examples share a participant across predicates, while negation placement distinguishes inability from possible nonperformance.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.