can

∗ ≈

poder

∗ verb

can
[kæn]
sustantivo
1lata (f) (container)tarro (m) (Am)
  • to open a can of worms (sentido figurado) -> sacar a la luz un asunto espinoso
  • can opener -> abrelatas m inv
2baño (m) (familiar) (toilet) (Estados Unidos)tigre (m) (español de España)
3cárcel (f) (familiar) (prison) (Estados Unidos)chirona (f) (español de España)cana (f) (Andes, RP)bote (m) (español de México)
verbo transitivo (pt & pp canned)
4enlatar (fruit, meat)
  • canned laughter (sentido figurado) -> risas (f pl) grabadas (on radio, TV)
5(familiar)
  • can it! -> ¡cállate la boca! (keep quiet) (Estados Unidos)
modal auxiliar verbo
El verbo can carece de infinitivo, de gerundio y de participio. En infinitivo o en participio, se empleará la forma correspondiente de be able to, por ejemplo he wanted to be able to speak English; she has always been able to swim. En el inglés hablado, y en el escrito en estilo coloquial, la forma negativa cannot se transforma en can't.
1poder (be able to)
  • I can go -> puedo ir
  • can you help me? -> ¿puedes ayudarme?
  • we cannot possibly do it -> no podemos hacerlo de ninguna manera
  • I will come as soon as I can -> iré lo antes posible
  • he will do what he can -> hará lo que pueda
  • it can't be done -> es imposible, no se puede hacer
  • we can but try -> habrá que intentarlo
2saber (know how to)
  • I can swim -> sé nadar
  • she can play the violin -> sabe tocar el violín
3poder (indicating possibility)
  • adult animals can grow to 6 meters -> los ejemplares adultos pueden llegar a los 6 metros
  • you CAN'T be serious! -> ¡no lo dirás en serio!
  • what CAN he want now? -> ¿pero qué es lo que quiere ahora?
4poder (indicating permission)
  • can I ask you something? -> ¿te puedo hacer una pregunta?
  • you can't smoke in here -> aquí está prohibido fumar
5[with see, hear etc: not translated]
  • I can see them -> los veo
  • I can see you don't believe me -> ya veo que no me crees
  • how can you tell? -> ¿cómo lo sabes?

Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited

can [kan]
sustantivo
1Lata, bote, tarro (container).
  • Can opener -> abridor de latas, abrelatas
  • A can of worms -> un problema complicado
2Coloq.) To carry the can, pagar el pato.
  • To be in the can -> estar a la sombra
sustantivo
3Culo, trasero (buttocks). (Familiar) (m)
Bidón (for petrol, water); cubo, tacho, caneca, bote, tobo de la basura (for garbage). (GB) Cárcel, cana, bote, trullo (prison). Trono (toilet).
1Poder (indicating ability).
  • She couldn’t answer the question -> no pudo contestar la pregunta
  • We can but try -> con intentarlo no se pierde nada
  • If I can but see him -> con tal que yo le pueda ver
  • As sure as can be -> sin duda, indudablemente, segurísimo
  • As soon as can be -> al instante que se pueda; lo más pronto posible
  • It can not be -> es imposible, no puede ser
  • He can’t (can not) pay -> él no puede pagar
  • He is as like his father as can be -> el es tan parecido a su padre que más no puede ser
2Saber (referring to particular skills).
  • Can you swim/speak German? -> ¿sabes nadar/(hablar) alemán
  • She can read and write -> ella sabe leer y escribir
  • Nobody can tell -> nadie sabe nada
  • I can’t see very well -> no veo muy bien (with verbs of perception)
  • Can you hear me? -> ¿me oyes
  • I can’t understand it -> no lo entiendo, no logro o no puedo entenderlo (with verbs of mental activity)
  • Can’t you tell he’s lying? -> ¿no te das cuenta de que está mintiendo
  • Can I come with you? -> ¿puedo ir contigo
  • You can stay as long as you like -> te puedes quedar todo el tiempo o todo lo que quieras
  • Can you turn that music down, please? -> ¿puedes bajar esa música, por favor
  • Can I have two salads, please? -> ¿me trae dos ensaladas, por favor
  • Can I help you? -> ¿me permite
  • Can I carry that for you? -> ¿quieres que te lleve eso
  • You can’t blame her -> no puedes echarle la culpa
  • I couldn’t very well tell him just then -> no se lo podía decir justo en ese momento
  • How could you? -> pero, ¿cómo se te ocurrió hacer una cosa así
  • Can’t you give it another try? -> ¿por qué no lo vuelves a intentar
  • For a start, you can clean all this up -> puedes empezar por limpiar todo esto (in orders)
  • Anything can happen now -> ahora puede pasar cualquier cosa
  • What can she be doing in there? -> ¿qué estará haciendo ahí
  • It can’t be true! -> ¡no puede ser
  • You can’t be serious! -> ¡no lo dirás en serio
  • She can be charming when she wants to -> es encantadora cuando quiere, o cuando se lo propone (indicating characteristic)
  • She’s as happy as can be -> está contentísima, está de lo más contenta
v mod. (pret.COULD). Poder (indicating, asking etc. permission). Poder (in requests). (in offers); ¿le atienden?, ¿qué desea? (in shop). Poder (allow oneself to)., pero, ¿cómo pudiste hacer (o decir) una cosa así? (in suggestions, advice). Poder (indicating possibility).; ¿qué puede estar haciendo ahí?, ¡no es posible!
  • Canned goods -> carne preparada, hortalizas, pescado o frutas encerrados herméticamente en receptáculos de hoja de lata o de vidrio
1Coloq.) Echar, correr (dismiss).
  • Can it! -> ¡basta ya
va. Guardar algo en cajas de hoja de lata para conservarlo en buen estado. Enlatar (put in cans); preparar conservas de (fruit). Llámense generalmente en la Gran Bretaña, tinned goods. (stop).

Velazquez® Spanish and English Dictionary. Copyright © 2007 by Velazquez® Press. All rights reserved.

can [kæn]
verb:modal
cannot can't could (conditional)
1 (be able to) poder
he can do it if he tries hard puede hacerlo si se esfuerza; I can't cannot go any furtheror no puedo seguir
I'll tell you all I canall te diré todo lo que pueda
he will do all he can to help you hará lo posible por ayudarte
you can but askbut con preguntar no se pierde nada
they couldn't help ithelp ellos no tienen la culpa
"have another helping" — "I really couldn't"really —¿otra ración? —no puedo
2 (know how to) saber
he can't swim no sabe nadar; can you speak Italian? ¿sabes (hablar) italiano?
3 (may) poder
can I use your telephone? ¿puedo usar su teléfono?; can I have your name? ¿me dice su nombre?; could I have a word with you? ¿podría hablar contigo un momento?; can't I come too? ¿puedo ir también?
4 (with verbs of perception: not translated)
I can hear it lo oigo; I couldn't see it anywhere no lo veía en ninguna parte; I can't understand why no comprendo por qué
5 (expressing disbelief, puzzlement)
that cannot be! ¡eso no puede ser!; ¡es imposible!; he can't have said that no puede haber dicho eso; they can't have left already! ¡no es posible que ya se han ido!
how could you lie to me!how ¿cómo pudiste mentirme?
how can you say that? ¿cómo te atreves a decir eso?
you can't be serious!serious! ¿lo dices en serio?
it can't be true!true! ¡no puede ser!
what can he want?what ¿qué querrá?
where on earth can she be?where ¿dónde demonios puede estar?
6 (expressing possibility, suggestion etc)
he could be in the library puede que esté en la biblioteca; you could try telephoning his office ¿por qué no le llamas a su despacho?; they could have forgotten puede (ser) que se hayan olvidado; you could have told me! ¡podías habérmelo dicho!; it could have been a wolf podía ser un lobo; I reckon you could have got a job last year creo que podías obtener un trabajo el año pasado
7 (want to)
I'm so happy I could crycry soy tan feliz que me dan ganas de llorar que me voy a echar a llorar;or
I could have cried me daban ganas de llorar
I could scream!scream! ¡es para volverse loco!
8 (be occasionally capable of)
she can be very annoying a veces te pone negro; it can get very cold here aquí puede llegar a hacer mucho frío
9 (in comparisons)
I'm doing it as well as I can lo hago lo mejor que puedo; as cheap as can be lo más barato posible; as big as big can be lo más grande posible; she was as happy as could be estaba de lo más feliz
10
could do with: I could do with a drink ¡qué bien me vendría una copa!; we could do with a bigger house nos convendría una casa más grande
"Skills" See culture box in entry able.
can [kæn]
noun
1 (container) (for foodstuffs) bote; (m) lata; (f) (for oil, water etc) bidón; (m)
a can of beer una lata de cerveza
a can of worms (informal) un asunto peliagudo
to open a can of worms (informal) abrir la caja de Pandora
(to be left) to carry the can (Britain) (informal) pagar el pato
2 especially (US) (garbage can) cubo bote tarro de la basura; (m)or (LAm) (m)or (m)
3 (Cine) [of film] lata; (f)
it's in the can (informal) está en el bote; (informal)
4 (US) (very_informal) (prison) chirona; (informal) (f)
5 (US) (very_informal) (toilet) wáter; (m)
6 (US) (very_informal) (buttocks) culo; (very_informal) (m)
verb:transitive
1 [+food] enlatar; envasar
can it! (US) (very_informal) ¡cállate!
2 (US) (informal) (dismiss) [+employee] despedir
modifier
can opener (n) abrelatas; (m)

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Verb Conjugation for "can"

Imperative
  • can
  • you can
  • he/she cans
  • we can
  • you can
  • they can
Preterite
  • I canned
  • you canned
  • he/she canned
  • we canned
  • you canned
  • they canned
Present Continuous
  • I am canning
  • you are canning
  • he/she is canning
  • we are canning
  • you are canning
  • they are canning
Present Perfect
  • I have canned
  • you have canned
  • he/she has canned
  • we have canned
  • you have canned
  • they have canned
Past Continuous
  • I was canning
  • you were canning
  • he/she was canning
  • we were canning
  • you were canning
  • they were canning
Past Perfect
  • I had canned
  • you had canned
  • he/she had canned
  • we had canned
  • you had canned
  • they had canned
Future
  • I will can
  • you will can
  • he/she will can
  • we will can
  • you will can
  • they will can
Future Perfect
  • I will have canned
  • you will have canned
  • he/she will have canned
  • we will have canned
  • you will have canned
  • they will have canned
Future Continuous
  • I will be canning
  • you will be canning
  • he/she will be canning
  • we will be canning
  • you will be canning
  • they will be canning
Present Perfect Continuous
  • I have been canning
  • you have been canning
  • he/she has been canning
  • we have been canning
  • you have been canning
  • they have been canning
Future Perfect Continuous
  • I will have been canning
  • you will have been canning
  • he/she will have been canning
  • we will have been canning
  • you will have been canning
  • they will have been canning
Past Perfect Continuous
  • I had been canning
  • you had been canning
  • he/she had been canning
  • we had been canning
  • you had been canning
  • they had been canning

can
masculine noun
1hound, dog

Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited

can [cahn]
noun
1Dog. (Antique) (m)
2Bracket, shoulder, modillion, corbel. (Architecture) (m)
3Dog-star. (Poetry) (m)
4Ace in dice. (m)
5Trigger of guns, etc. 6. (m)
  • Can rostro -> Pointer or setting-dog
  • Can de busca -> terrier
  • Can que mata al lobo -> wolfdog
Ancient piece of ordnance.

Velazquez® Spanish and English Dictionary. Copyright © 2007 by Velazquez® Press. All rights reserved.

can
sustantivo:masculino
1 (humorístico) (perro) dog; mutt; (familiar) pooch; (familiar)
2 (Mil) trigger
3 (Archit) corbel

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

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hearty laughter, raucous laughter, guffaw