How can you swim?
I can't find the probable answers for this question. I need it for a grammar exercise. But it is a bit difficult for me.
So, can you say the answers to me?
How can you swim?
I can swim.... what else?
Thank you.
10 Answers
Hola Nila:
"How can you swim?" sounds a bit odd to me as a question (although it may be that I am just not able to place it in the appropriate context).
If you are asking whether someone knows how to swim then you would probably just ask:
Question: Do you know how to swim?
Answer: Yes/no
Or if you are wondering whether they know specific swimming strokes, you might try something like:
Question: Do you know (how to do) the backstroke/breaststroke/American crawl
Answer: No, I only know how to dog paddle
Question: Do you know how to swim underwater/can you swim underwater.
Answer: Yes, but I don't know how to open my eyes (underwater)
Question: (Upon learning that someone can swim) Oh, yeah? What strokes do you know?
Answer: I can do the sidestroke, and I know how to swim on my back
I don't know why but it seems to me a bit strange to say:
I can swim backstroke.
I can swim breastroke.However, it sounds natural to me when I say:
I know how to swim backstroke/breastroke.
It sounds odd to my ears, too. However, it might sound a bit better if you were to insert a definite article in there:
I can swim the backstroke.
I think that this might also be true of your other sentence as well:
I know how to swim the breaststroke.
On the other hand, I think that it might be a bit more colloquial (again, taking regional differences into account) to simply say:
?I can do the backstroke
?I know how to do the backstroke
How can you swim? I think that sentence was made up by a person whose first language is not English and I think (my opinion) that they just want you to answer 'I swim very well' or 'I swim badly' or something like that..... Hmmmm, of course we would not say it like that - at the very least - How do you swim? Well, badly, etc....
just another idea 
Q: Do you know how to swim?
A: Yes, I know how to swim....
Q:What do you swim?
A: I can swim the crawl , the backstroke, the butterfly and the breaststroke.
My best stroke is the crawl. I swim it very quickly. I like to practice in the swimming pool.
A; No, I don't know how to swim, but I am going to take swimming lessons this summer. I am going to learn to open and close my eyes underwater, to float and to do the elementary backstroke. Then, I will learn the dog paddle and the crawl. Finally, I will learn the breaststroke.
Seems to me like they may be asking what kind of techniques you use to swim (i.e., backstroke, breaststroke, doggy paddle, etc.). That is my only guess...
In Spanish it would be:
¿Cómo nadas?. If you can understand the meaning from the context.
¿Qué estilo (de natación) practicas?. More formal.
¿Qué estilo practicas cuando nadas?.
¿Cuál es tu estilo de natación?
Nila, y como dirías lo mismo pero en español?
That makes sense to me only if you were adressing someone with a disability.
I don't know why but it seems to me a bit strange to say:
I can swim backstroke.
I can swim breastroke.
However, it sounds natural to me when I say:
I know how to swim backstroke/breastroke.
It also could be quickly, slowly, with my eyes closed, etc. but I think I agree with the answer of cali babygir
