možno / nemožno + Infinitive

It Is Possible to: Možno

Level 5

Možno + infinitive: Možno konštatovať, že … (It can be said that …). Nemožno + infinitive: Nemožno to vylúčiť (It cannot be ruled out). The meaning is close to dá sa and nedá sa.

How It Works

Two meanings of možno.

  • Everyday možno means maybe: Možno prídem. (Maybe I will come.) See probably and maybe.
  • Formal možno + infinitive means it is possible to, one can: Možno konštatovať, že projekt bol úspešný.

You can tell them apart by the infinitive: maybe is followed by a normal finite verb, possibility by an infinitive.

Nemožno. The negative is written as one word and means it is impossible to, one cannot: Nemožno to vylúčiť. (It cannot be ruled out.) Takému človeku nemožno veriť. (Such a person cannot be trusted.) To say maybe not, negate the verb instead: Možno neprídem.

No je, no subject. Možno and nemožno stand alone in the present. The adjective form needs je: Je možné / Je nemožné to vylúčiť. For other tenses use that adjective form: Nebolo možné to opraviť. (It was not possible to repair it.) Bude možné platiť kartou. (It will be possible to pay by card.)

Register. This is the language of reports, instructions and the news. In conversation people say dá sa: To sa nedá vylúčiť. Lístky sa dajú kúpiť online.

Examples (6)

  1. Možno konštatovať, že projekt bol úspešný.

    It can be said that the project was a success.

    Word by Word: Possible to-state that project was successful.

  2. Nemožno to vylúčiť.

    It cannot be ruled out.

    Word by Word: Impossible it to-exclude.

  3. Lístky možno kúpiť aj online.

    Tickets can also be bought online.

    Word by Word: Tickets possible to-buy also online.

  4. Z výsledkov možno usudzovať, že ceny porastú.

    From the results it can be concluded that prices will rise.

    Word by Word: From results possible to-conclude that prices will-grow.

  5. Takému človeku nemožno veriť.

    A person like that cannot be trusted.

    Word by Word: To-such person impossible to-trust.

    Veriť takes the dative, so the person is takému človeku.

  6. Tento problém nemožno riešiť bez peňazí.

    This problem cannot be solved without money.

    Word by Word: This problem impossible to-solve without money.

Common Mistakes

  • Using nemožno to mean maybe not.

    Nemožno prídem.
    Možno neprídem.

    Nemožno means it is impossible to and needs an infinitive. To say maybe I won't come, keep možno and negate the verb.

  • Using the adjective without je.

    Nemožné to vylúčiť.
    Nemožno to vylúčiť.

    Nemožné is an adjective and needs je: Je nemožné to vylúčiť. The adverb nemožno stands alone.

How It Connects

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

možno / nemožno + InfinitiveLevel 5It Is Possible to: Možno

Learn This First

Before It Is Possible To: možno, learn It Can Be Done: dá sa. možno + infinitive is a formal version of dá sa.

Words in This Pattern

možnonemožno