kunnen

See also: künnen

Danish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈkʰunən]

Verb

kunnen

1. gerund of kunne.

Noun

kunnen c

1. ability, competence

Inflection

common gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	kunnen	-	-	-
genitive	kunnens	-	-	-

Declension of kunnen

References

“kunnen” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Alternative forms

• (dialectal) kennen, konnen

Etymology

From Middle Dutch connen, cunnen, from Old Dutch cunnan, from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkʏnə(n)/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: kun‧nen
• Rhymes: -ʏnən

Verb

kunnen

1. (auxiliary) can, to be able to

   Synonym: (formal) vermogen

   Hij kon goed rennen, omdat hij een getraind sportbeoefenaar was. ― He could run well, because he was a trained sportsman.

2. (auxiliary) may, can, to be allowed to

   Synonym: mogen

   Je kan me altijd bellen. ― You can always call me.

3. (intransitive) to be possible

   Synonym: mogelijk zijn

   Dat kan niet. ― That is not possible.

4. (intransitive) can go, to be able to go, can get

   Ik kan mijn huis niet meer in! ― I cannot get into my house anymore!

5. (transitive) to be able to do, to be capable of

   Ik kan dat niet. ― I am not able to do that.

6. (intransitive) to be available (for any type of meeting or appointment)

   Ik kan morgenavond niet. ― I will not be available tomorrow night.

Conjugation

The original past participle was gekunnen, but this is today not used in standard Dutch.

Conjugation of kunnen (preterite-present)
infinitive	kunnen
past singular	kon
past participle	gekund
infinitive	kunnen
gerund	kunnen n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	kan	kon
2nd person sing. (jij)	kunt, kan, kun2	kon
2nd person sing. (u)	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.	kan
imperative plur.1	kunt
participles	kunnend	gekund
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Derived terms

• aankunnen
• achter het behang kunnen plakken
• geen pap meer kunnen zeggen
• het kan wel lijden
• kunde
• kunst

 

Descendants

• Afrikaans: kan (from inflected form kan)
• Berbice Creole Dutch: kan (from inflected form kan)
• Javindo: ken
• Negerhollands: kan, ka (from inflected form kan)
• Petjo: kan, ken
• Skepi Creole Dutch: can (from inflected form kan)

Swedish

Verb

kunnen

1. (obsolete) second-person plural present indicative of kunna 2nd person form.
   • 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, 1917 translation)