kunnen

Dutch

Etymology

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈkʏ.nə(n)/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

kunnen (past singular kon, past participle gekund)

1. (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.

2. to be able to do

   Ik kan dat niet.

   I am not able to do that.

Conjugation

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

The conjugation of this verb is very different from that of many Dutch verbs. Singular forms of kunnen are identical 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

• kunst

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Swedish

Verb

kunnen

1. Obsolete plural form of kan, present tense of kunna. 2nd person only

   Och om I gören gott mot dem som göra eder gott, vad tack kunnen I få därför?

   And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? (Luke 6:33)