Can

Wikipedia

See also Appendix:Variations of "can"

English

Most common English words: then « A « should « #81: can » made » did » such

Etymology 1

Middle English can (first and third person singular of cunnen, connen "to be able, know how") from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“‘to know how’”). More at canny, cunning.

Pronunciation

• (stressed)
  • enPR: kăn, IPA: /kæn/, /kɛn/, SAMPA: /k{n/

  • Audio (US)	noicon
    (file)

  • Rhymes: -æn
• (unstressed)
  • IPA: /kən/, /kn̩/, /kɪn/, SAMPA: /k@n/, /kn=/, /kIn/

Verb

Infinitive -

Third person singular can

Simple past could

Past participle couth (obsolete except in adjective use)

Present participle -

- (third-person singular simple present can, present participle -, simple past could, past participle couth (obsolete except in adjective use))

1. (modal auxiliary verb, defective) To know how to; to be able to.

   She can speak English, French, and German.

   I can play football.

   Can you remember your fifth birthday?

2. (modal auxiliary verb, defective, informal) May; to be permitted or enabled to.

   You can go outside and play when you're finished with your homework.

   Can I use your pen?

3. (obsolete, transitive) To know.

Usage notes

For missing forms, substitute inflected forms of be able to, as:

• I might be able to go.
• I was able to go yesterday.
• I had been able to go before.
• I will be able to go tomorrow.

The word could also suffices in many tenses. "I would be able to go" is equivalent to "I could go", and "I was not able to go" can be rendered "I couldn't go". (Unless there is a clear indication otherwise, "could verb" means "would be able to verb", but "couldn't verb" means "was/were not able to verb".)

The present tense negative can not is often contracted to cannot or can't.

The use of can in asking permission is sometimes criticized as being impolite or incorrect by those who favour the more formal alternative "may I...?".

Can is sometimes used rhetorically to issue a command, placing the command in the form of a request. For instance, "Can you hand me that pen?" as a polite substitution for "Hand me that pen."

Synonyms

• be able to
• may

Antonyms

• cannot
• can’t

See also

• Appendix:English tag questions

Translations

to be able

American Sign Language: [[S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown-S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown S@Chesthigh-PalmDown-S@Chesthigh-PalmDown#Template:Ase|S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown-S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown S@Chesthigh-PalmDown-S@Chesthigh-PalmDown]] (can), [[1@NearSternumhigh-PalmForward-1@Chesthigh-TipAcross FastContact 1@FromBackFinger-PalmDown-1@Chesthigh-TipAcross#Template:Ase|1@NearSternumhigh-PalmForward-1@Chesthigh-TipAcross FastContact 1@FromBackFinger-PalmDown-1@Chesthigh-TipAcross]] (can't) Arabic: قَدَرَ ar(ar) (qadara), اِسْتَطاعَ ar(ar) (istaTaa3) Egyptian Arabic: قدر (qadar) Armenian: կարողանալ hy(hy) (karoġanal) Belarusian: мочь be(be) (moč’), ўмець be(be) (ŭméc’) Bulgarian: мога bg(bg) (moga) Chinese: Mandarin: 會 cmn(cmn), 会 cmn(cmn) (huì), 能 cmn(cmn) (néng) Croatian: moći hr(hr) Czech: moci cs(cs), umět cs(cs) Danish: kunne da(da) Dutch: kunnen nl(nl) Esperanto: povi eo(eo) Estonian: osata et(et) Finnish: osata fi(fi), voida fi(fi), pystyä fi(fi) French: pouvoir fr(fr) German: können de(de) Gilbertese: kona Greek: μπορώ el(el) (boró) Hebrew: יכול he(he) (yakhól) m., מסוגל he(he) (m'sugál) m. Hindi: सकना hi(hi) (saknā), समर्थ होना hi(hi) (samartha hōnā) Hungarian: tud hu(hu) Icelandic: geta is(is) Irish: is féidir le ga(ga), tig le ga(ga), féad ga(ga) Italian: sapere it(it), riuscire it(it), essere capace it(it), potere it(it) Japanese: できる ja(ja) (dekíru), -れる ja(ja) (-reru), -られる ja(ja) (-rareru)

Korean: ...할 수 있다 ko(ko) (...hal su itda) Lao: ໄດ້ lo(lo) (dai) Latin: posse la(la) Malay: dapat ms(ms) Maltese: nista' mt(mt), jista' mt(mt), tista' mt(mt) Nahuatl: huelīti nah(nah) Norwegian: kunne no(no) Old English: cunnan ang(ang) Persian: قادر بودن fa(fa), توانستن fa(fa) (tavânestan) Polish: móc pl(pl), umieć pl(pl), potrafić pl(pl) Portuguese: poder, ser capaz, conseguir Romanian: putea ro(ro) Romansch: pudair Russian: мочь ro(ro) (moč’), смочь ro(ro) (smoč’), уметь ro(ro) (umét’) (to be skilled enough) Scottish Gaelic: 's urrainn do gd(gd), faod gd(gd) Slovak: moci sk(sk), môcť sk(sk), umět sk(sk) Slovene: moči sl(sl) Spanish: poder es(es) Swedish: kunna sv(sv) Thai: ได้ th(th) (dâai), ย่อม th(th) (yôm) Turkish: -ebilmek tr(tr), -abilmek tr(tr) Ukrainian: могти uk(uk) (mohtý), вміти uk(uk) (vmíty) / уміти uk(uk) (umíty) Urdu: سکنا ur(ur) (saknā) Vietnamese: có thể vi(vi), được vi(vi) Welsh: gallu cy(cy), medru cy(cy)

may

American Sign Language: [[S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown-S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown S@Chesthigh-PalmDown-S@Chesthigh-PalmDown#Template:Ase|S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown-S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown S@Chesthigh-PalmDown-S@Chesthigh-PalmDown]] Arabic: استطاع ar(ar) (istaTa`a) Armenian: կարողանալ hy(hy) (karoġanal) Chinese: Mandarin: 能 cmn(cmn) (néng), 可以 cmn(cmn) (kěyǐ) Croatian: smjeti hr(hr) Czech: smět cs(cs) Danish: kunne da(da), må da(da) Dutch: mogen nl(nl) Esperanto: rajti eo(eo) Estonian: võima Finnish: voida fi(fi), saada fi(fi) French: pouvoir fr(fr) German: können de(de), dürfen de(de) Greek: μπορώ el(el) (boró) Hebrew: יכול he(he) (yakhól) m. Hindi: सकना hi(hi) (saknā)

Icelandic: mega is(is) Italian: potere it(it) Macedonian: може mk(mk) (móže) Malay: boleh ms(ms) Maltese: forsi mt(mt) Norwegian: kunne no(no) Persian: توانستن fa(fa) (tavânestan), امکان داشتن fa(fa) Polish: móc pl(pl) Portuguese: poder pt(pt) Russian: мочь ro(ro) (moč’) Scottish Gaelic: faod gd(gd) Slovene: smeti sl(sl) Swedish: kunna sv(sv) Thai: ย่อม th(th) (yôm) Turkish: -ebilmek tr(tr), -abilmek tr(tr) Urdu: سکنا ur(ur) (saknā) Vietnamese: có thể vi(vi), có lẽ vi(vi) Welsh: cael cy(cy)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Albanian: mund Catalan: poder French: pouvoir Hungarian: tud Ido: povas Indonesian: dapat, mampu, bisa Korean: ...할 수 있다 (...hal su itta)

Kurdish: kanîn, karîn, şên, şiyan, tiwanîn Occitan: poder Persian: توانستن (tavânestan) Romanian: putea Romansch: pudair Turkish: -bil- (verbal infix) Ukrainian: могти (mókhti)

Etymology 2

Middle English < Old English canne (“‘glass, container, cup’”).

Pronunciation

• (RP), (GenAm)
  • enPR: kăn, IPA: /kæn/, SAMPA: /k{n/
  • Rhymes: -æn
• (AusE)
  • IPA: /kæːn/, SAMPA: /k{:n/
  • Rhymes: -æːn

Noun

File:Can(Easy Open Can).JPG

a can (1)

Singular Can

Plural {{{1}}}

Can ({{{1}}})

1. A more or less cylindrical vessel for liquids, usually of steel or aluminium.
2. A container used to carry and dispense water for plants (a watering can).
3. A tin-plate canister, often cylindrical, for preserved foods such as fruit, meat, or fish.
4. (US, euphemism) toilet, bathroom.
5. (US, euphemism) buttocks.
6. (slang) headphones

Synonyms

• (cyclindrical metal container): tin (British & Australian at least)

Derived terms

Terms derived from the noun "can"

beer can can opener

carry the can garbage can

kick the can / kick-the-can trash can

Translations

a more or less cylindrical vessel for liquids

Bulgarian: гюм bg(bg) m. Chinese: 罐頭, 罐头 (guàn tóu) Czech: plechovka cs(cs) f. Danish: dåse da(da) Dutch: kan nl(nl) f. Esperanto: ladskatolo eo(eo) Finnish: purkki fi(fi) French: bidon fr(fr) m., canette fr(fr) f. German: Dose de(de) f., Kannister m. Icelandic: dós is(is) f. Indonesian: kaleng id(id) Italian: lattina it(it) f. Japanese: 缶 (かん, kan) Kurdish: Sorani: قوتو ku(ku) (qutu), ته‌نه‌که‌ ku(ku) (tanaka)

Macedonian: лименка mk(mk) (límenka) f. Malay: tin ms(ms) Norwegian: boks no(no) m., kanne no(no) c. Polish: puszka pl(pl) f. Portuguese: lata pt(pt) f. Russian: бидон ru(ru) (bidón) m. Scottish Gaelic: cana gd(gd) m. Slovene: pločevinka sl(sl) f. Swedish: burk sv(sv) c. Thai: กระป๋อง (grà-bpŏng) Turkish: kutu tr(tr), konserve tr(tr) Welsh: can cy(cy) m.

a container used to carry and dispense water for plants

Chinese: 容器, 容器 (róng qì) Czech: konev cs(cs) f. Danish: kande, vandkande Dutch: blik nl(nl) n. Finnish: kastelukannu fi(fi) French: arrosoir fr(fr) m. German: Gießkanne de(de) f. Indonesian: kaleng id(id) Italian: annaffiatoio it(it) m.

Japanese: 缶 (かん, kan) Macedonian: канта mk(mk) (kánta) f., кофа mk(mk) (kófa) f. Norwegian: kanne no(no) c. Polish: wiadro pl(pl) n., kubeł pl(pl) m. Portuguese: regador pt(pt) m. Russian: лейка ru(ru) (l'éjka) f. Slovene: škropilnica f. Swedish: vattenkanna sv(sv) c., kanna sv(sv) c. Thai: กระป๋องรดน้ำ (grà-bpŏng rót náam)

a tin-plate canister

Bulgarian: консервна кутия bg(bg) Chinese: 金屬容器, 金属容器 (jīn shǔ róng qì) Czech: konzerva cs(cs) f. Danish: dåse da(da) Dutch: conservenblik nl(nl) n. Esperanto: ladskatolo eo(eo) Finnish: säilyketölkki fi(fi) French: boîte de conserve fr(fr) f. German: Dose de(de) f., Konservendose de(de) f. Greek: κονσέρβα el(el) (konsérva) f. Hebrew: קופסת שימורים he(he) (qufsát shimurím) f. Italian: scatoletta it(it) f. Kurdish: Sorani: قوتو ku(ku) (qutu), ته‌نه‌که‌ ku(ku) (tanaka)

Macedonian: конзерва mk(mk) (konzérva) f. Malay: tin ms(ms) Norwegian: boks no(no) m., hermetikkboks no(no) m. Polish: kanka f., kanister m. Portuguese: lata pt(pt) f. Russian: консервная банка ru(ru) (kons'érvnaja bánka) f. Scottish Gaelic: cana gd(gd) m. Slovene: pločevinka f., konzerva f. (informal) Spanish: lata es(es) f. Swedish: konservburk sv(sv) c., konserv sv(sv) c. Thai: กระป๋อง (grà-bpŏng)

toilet

Bulgarian: тоалетна чиния bg(bg) Chinese: 廁所, 厕所 (cè suǒ) Danish: toilet da(da) Dutch: toilet nl(nl) n. Esperanto: necesejo eo(eo), pispoto eo(eo) Finnish: vessa fi(fi) French: WC fr(fr) m.

German: Toilette de(de) f., WC de(de) n., Klo de(de) n. Hebrew: שירותים (shirutym) m. pl., בית שימוש (beit shimush) m. Malay: tandas ms(ms) Norwegian: toalett no(no) n., do(-skål) no(no) m. Polish: ubikacja pl(pl) f. Thai: ส้วม (sûam)

buttocks

Chinese: 屁股, 屁股 (pì gǔ) Danish: balder da(da) Esperanto: pugo eo(eo) Finnish: takamus fi(fi) n.

German: Arschbacken de(de) f., Pobacken de(de) f. pl. Norwegian: rompe no(no) c., bak no(no) m. Polish: pośladki, dupa f. Thai: ก้น (gôn)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Arabic: صفيحة (ʂafīħa) f. Ido: buxeto metala

Korean: 깡통 (kkangtong)

Verb

Infinitive to Can

Third person singular can

Simple past ed

Past participle -

Present participle n

to Can (third-person singular simple present can, present participle n, simple past and past participle ed)

1. To preserve, by heating and sealing in a can or jar.

   They spent August canning fruit and vegetables.

2. to discard, scrap or terminate (an idea, project, etc.).

   He canned the whole project because he thought it would fail.

3. To shut up.

   Can your gob.

4. (US, euphemism) To fire or dismiss an employee.

   The boss canned him for speaking out.

Translations

to preserve

Bulgarian: консервирам bg(bg) Chinese: 保存, 保存 (bǎo cún) Czech: konzervovat cs(cs) Danish: konservere, henkoge Dutch: inblikken nl(nl), conserveren nl(nl) Esperanto: enladigi eo(eo) Finnish: purkittaa fi(fi) French: conserver fr(fr)

German: einmachen de(de) Greek: κονσερβοποιώ el(el) (konservopoió) Macedonian: конзервира mk(mk) (konzervíra) Malay: mengetinkan ms(ms) Russian: консервировать (konservírovat’) Slovene: konzervirati Spanish: enlatar es(es) Swedish: konservera sv(sv), lägga in sv(sv)

to discard

Bulgarian: захвърлям bg(bg) Chinese: 丟棄, 丢弃 (diū qì) Danish: smide ud Dutch: afvoeren nl(nl) French: jeter fr(fr)

German: abbrechen de(de) Slovene: odvreči, zavreči Spanish: descartar es(es) Thai: ทิ้ง th(th) (tíng)

to shut up

Chinese: 關閉, 关闭 (guān bì) Danish: holde mund Dutch: stil houden nl(nl) Esperanto: silenti eo(eo), silentigi eo(eo) French: se taire irreg German: die Klappe halten, den Mund halten de(de)

Hebrew: סתם he(he) (satám) Italian: tacere it(it) Slovene: utihniti Spanish: cerrar es(es) Swedish: stänga igen sv(sv), knipa igen sv(sv) Thai: เย็บปาก (yép-bpàak)

to fire or dismiss an employee

Bulgarian: уволнявам bg(bg) Chinese: 解雇, 解雇 (jiě gù) Danish: afskedige, fyre Esperanto: maldungi eo(eo) German: kündigen de(de), feuern de(de), rausschmeißen de(de) Hebrew: פיטר he(he) (pitér)

Italian: licenziare it(it) Malay: pecat ms(ms) Slovene: odpustiti Spanish: echar es(es) Swedish: sparka sv(sv), kicka sv(sv) Thai: ปลด (bplòt)

Anagrams

• acn,
• ANC
• CNA
• NCA

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Afar

Noun

Can [[Category:Template:Aa nouns|Can]]

1. milk

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Azeri

Etymology

From Persian جان (jân), “‘soul, vital spirit, life’”), whence also Turkish can and Armenian [[ջան#Template:Hy|ջան]] (ǰan).

Noun

Can (Cyrillic spelling ҹан)

1. soul, spirit
2. being, creature, life
3. body
4. force, vigour

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Classical Nahuatl

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kaːn/

Adverb

cān

1. Where.

Derived terms

• campa
• canah

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Galician

Etymology

From Latin canis.

Noun

Can m. (plural Cans)

1. dog

Related terms

• cadela

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Interlingua

Noun

Singular Can

Plural es

Can (es)

1. dog
2. cock, hammer (of a firearm)

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Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA: [kan̪ˠ]

Verb

Can

1. To sing.

Inflection

First Conjugation (A)

		singular			plural			autonomous
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	present	canaim	canann tú; canair†	canann sé, sí	canaimid	canann sibh	canann siad; canaid†	cantar
	past	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verban]] mé; [[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanas]]†	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verban]] tú; [[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanais]]†	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verban]] sé, sí	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanamar]]	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verban]] sibh; [[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanabhair]]†	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verban]] siad; [[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanadar]]†	canadh
	future	canfaidh mé; canfad†	canfaidh tú; canfair†	canfaidh sé, sí	canfaimid; canfam†	canfaidh sibh	canfaidh siad; canfaid†	canfar
	past habitual	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanainn]]	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbantá]]	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanadh]] sé, sí	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanaimis]]	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanadh]] sibh	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanaidís]]	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbantaí]]
imperative		canaim	can	canadh sé, sí	canaimis	canaigí	canaidís	cantar
conditional		[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanfainn]]	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanfá]]	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanfadh]] sé, sí	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanfaimis]]	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanfadh]] sibh	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanfaidís]]	[[Template:Ga-mut-lenition-verbanfaí]]
subjunctive	present	cana mé; canad†	cana tú; canair†	cana sé, sí	canaimid	cana sibh	cana siad; canaid†	cantar
	past	canainn	cantá	canadh sé, sí	canaimis	canadh sibh	canaidís	cantaí
verbal noun		canadh
past participle		canta

† Dialect form

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
can	chan	gcan
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

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Italian

Noun

can m. (plural cani)

1. (poetic and literary form of cane) dog

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Mandarin

Pinyin syllable

can

1. Nonstandard spelling of cān.
2. Nonstandard spelling of cán.
3. Nonstandard spelling of cǎn.
4. Nonstandard spelling of càn.

Usage notes

English transcriptions of Chinese speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Chinese language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.

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Occitan

Noun

Can m. (plural Cans)

1. dog, hound

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Scottish Gaelic

Verb

Can (present participle form cantainn)

1. say

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Spanish

Etymology

From Latin canis. Compare Aromanian cãne, Portuguese cão.

Noun

Can m. (plural canes)

Singular Can m.

Plural canes m.

1. dog, hound

See also

• cachorro m.
• chucho m.
• perro m.
• pichicho m.

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Turkish

Pronunciation

• IPA: dʒan

Etymology

From Persian جان (jân), “‘soul, vital spirit, life’”).

Noun

Can (definite accusative Canı, plural Canlar)

1. soul, life, being
2. sweetheart

Declension

    declension of Can

	singular	plural
absolute	Can	Canlar
definite accusative	Canı	Canları
dative	Cana	Canlara
locative	Canda	Canlarda
ablative	Candan	Canlardan
definite genitive	Canın	Canların

See also

• Can

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Welsh

Adjective

Can [[Category:Template:Cy adjectives|Can]]

1. bleached, white
2. hundred

Noun

Can m. (plural caniau) 

1. a can
2. flour

Mutation

Template:Cy-mut

See also

• [[cân#Template:Cy|cân]]

References

• Definition from the BBC.

af:can ar:can zh-min-nan:can cs:can de:can et:can el:can es:can eu:can fa:can fr:can fy:can gl:can ko:can hy:can hr:can io:can is:can it:can kk:can sw:can ku:can lo:can lt:can hu:can ml:can mn:can my:can nl:can ja:can no:can oc:can pl:can pt:can ro:can ru:can simple:can sr:can fi:can sv:can ta:can tt:can te:can th:can tr:can uk:can vi:can vo:can zh:can