kunnen
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
Dutch [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Middle Dutch connen, cunnen, from Old Dutch kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥néh₃-. Compare Low German könen, German können, English can, Danish kunne.
Pronunciation [edit]
- IPA: /ˈkʏ.nə(n)/
Verb [edit]
kunnen
- (auxiliary, modal) can, to be able to
- Hij kon goed rennen, omdat hij een getrained sportbeoefenaar was
- He could run well, because he was a trained sportsman.
- Hij kon goed rennen, omdat hij een getrained sportbeoefenaar was
- to be able to do
- Ik kan dat niet.
- I am not able to do that.
- Ik kan dat niet.
Conjugation [edit]
Conjugation of kunnen (preterite-present)
| infinitive | kunnen | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| present tense | past tense | |||
| 1st person singular | kan | kon | ||
| 2nd person singular | kunt, kan | kon | ||
| 2nd person sing. (gij) | kunt | kondt | ||
| 3rd person singular | kan | kon | ||
| plural | kunnen | konden | ||
| subjunctive sing.1 | kunne | konde | ||
| subjunctive plur.1 | kunnen | konden | ||
| imperative sing. | — | |||
| imperative plur.1 | — | |||
| participles | kunnend | (hebben) gekund | ||
| 1) Archaic. | ||||
Usage notes [edit]
The conjugation of this verb is very different from that of many Dutch verbs. Singular forms of kunnen are indentical stems with a change of vowel (u becoming a), plural forms of kunnen are conjugated in the way regular Dutch verbs are conjugated, and the past tense is conjugated in an irregular manner with the same vowel through the line.
In its conjugation this verb shows similarities with the Dutch verb mogen, and is more distantly related to the German variant of this verb: können.
Derived terms [edit]
Swedish [edit]
Verb [edit]
kunnen
