Can/Can´t usos

Question

Como se usa Can/Can´t, se conjuga el verbo ? cambia realizando una pregunta ?

Bienvenido al foro! - annierats, Feb 13, 2013

Answer 1

I agree with annierats' answer. However, one should note that "Can't" means "Cannot" which means something is impossible. "Can not" is different and means that something is possible, but the speaker won't do it and is usually part of a bigger phrase.

Estoy de acuerdo con la respuesta de annierats. Sin embargo, uno debe recorder que "Can't" significa "Cannot" y que una cosa es imposible.

Ejemplo: "We cannot eat meat" = No podemos comer carne.

"Can not" es diferente y significa que algo es un opción que el hablador puede hacer, pero no va a hacer. "Can not" usualmente está en una frace más grande.

Ejemplo: "We can not eat meat, but we want to". = Podemos elegir no comer carne, pero queremos comerla.

Sorry for any Spanish mistakes.

That isn't always accepted. http://www.dailywritingtips.com/cannot-or-can-not/ aslo: http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/cannot.html - BigMike, Feb 13, 2013

I don't know if you're right, but this is a very big complication for a learner, it's easier to stick with can't and cannot, I think, perhaps? - annierats, Feb 14, 2013

We could chose not to eat meat, but we prefer to carry on eating it, would be clearer. - annierats, Feb 14, 2013

Answer 2

Este verbo es un poco inusual. Es en la clase de verbos conocido como verbos modales. Estos verbos no tienen formas infinitivos o participios, y también no hay conjugaciones. Otros verbos en esta clase son: could, may, might, must, shall, should, will and would.

No creo que esta clase exista en español, y por eso es un poquito confuso para estudiantes de inglés.

Fue una muy buena idea señalar eso. Por cierto, felicitaciones por tu español. - -cae-, Feb 14, 2013

Answer 3

You've already been given the conjugations of the verb form can (do something). I can talk, you can write, he/she/it can speak, We can walk, you pl. can cook, they can swim. Often, the second part is left off. Can you swim? Yes, I can. Can you do it? Yes, I can.

As to the difference between can not and cannot - this is very esoteric, and probably unknown to most of the English-speaking world, but HackerKing sent me on a brief quest:

Here's something I copied from http://www.alexfiles.com/cannot-vs-can-not

There is a grammatical misunderstanding common to many U.S. Americans, largely because we learned about grammar in the either/or terms of right vs. wrong. Here’s the misunderstanding: can not or cannot? My public school teachers said can not was the correct form, and that cannot was a corruption. A friend of mine from a previous generation was taught the opposite. Her son, much better at using the language than either of us, said both were right, but usage depended on context.

Here’s the explanation: If I can not do something, then I can also do it. I can not write these words if I choose (and you may think I shouldn’t), but I also can, and am, writing them. What I cannot do is know who will read them, or what they will think. I can imagine such things, but I’m limited by my experience and perceptions. So this is the rule: if you either could or could not do something, then you use two words, because you can leave out the second word if you so choose. If you could not do something no matter how much you desired or tried, then you use one word, cannot. There is no other option.

Answer 4

I can, you can, he can, we can etc.. It stays the same..

Can you help me? No I can't.

Can't is when can is followed by not, it is written as can't. It stays the same for all persons. No I can't, you can't.. You can't really help, can you?

We can't eat all this food. They can't run fast enough.

I hope this helps. I'm not terribly good at explaining.

Answer 5

HackerKing: Creo que "cannot" y "can't" son iguales, y punto. Expresan "capacidad." En el caso de "voluntad" o "deseo" (a diferencia de "capacidad"), "Will not" y "won't" son iguales, también, y sirve en el caso en lo que no quiera, sino pueda.

I can, but I won't = I can, but I will not.

I cannot, and will not = I can't, and won't.

I thought so, too, and in practice there's probably no difference. But see my answer above. Apparantly, in some erudite circles it matters. - PeterRS, Feb 14, 2013

Fascinating. I can definitely see there being a very subtle nuance there. That being said, "will not" certain carries a more direct sense of refusal. - MyHeadAboveWater, Feb 14, 2013

Answer 6

Can -- poder

Can't -- no puedo, no puedes, no puede, etc.

Ejemplos:

¿Puedo ayudarte? Can I help you?

No, no me puedes ayudar. No, you can't help me.

Mariana, I think this is arare birds, a native Spanish speaker! - annierats, Feb 13, 2013