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can

can(

)

An auxiliary verb, or helper verb, is a conjugated verb that comes before a main verb and determines the main verb's tense, mood, or aspect (e.g. I have gone.).

auxiliary verb

1. (used to indicate ability)

a. poder

I can run five miles in an hour.Puedo correr cinco millas en una hora.

b. saber

I can cook Italian food too.También sé cocinar comida italiana.

2. (used to ask permission)

a. poder

Can I go out with Jennifer on Friday night?¿Puedo salir con Jennifer el viernes por la noche?

3. (used to indicate possibility)

a. poder

If you like, you can have the salad with the dressing on the side.Si desea, puede pedir la ensalada con el aderezo al lado.

4. (with verbs of perception)

This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.

no direct translation

I can't tell if it's going to rain or snow.No sé si va a llover o nevar.

I couldn't see because of the brightness of that light.No veía por culpa del resplandor de esa luz.

A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling or idea (e.g. man, dog, house).

noun

5. (container)

a. la lata

(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(F)

There are about 140 calories in one can of soda.Una lata de refresco tiene unas 140 calorías.

b. el bote

(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(M)

Do you think one can of paint will be enough for the whole room?¿Crees que con un bote de pintura nos llega para toda la habitación?

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

(toilet)

Regionalism used in the United States

(United States)

a. el baño

(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(M)

I need to hit the can, and then let's go to another bar.Tengo que ir al baño y después vámonos a otro bar.

b. el váter

(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(M)

Regionalism used in Spain

(Spain)

Do you need to use the can before we leave?¿Tienes que ir al váter antes de irnos?

7. (fuel container)

a. el bidón

(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(M)

Packing an empty gas can in your trunk is wise.Llevar un bidón de gasolina vacío en el maletero es inteligente.

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

(prison)

Regionalism used in the United States

(United States)

a. la cana

(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(F)

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

Regionalism used in Cuba

(Cuba)

Regionalism used in South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela

(South America)

They met when Mick was in the can.Se conocieron cuando Mick estuvo en la cana.

b. el bote

(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(M)

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama

(Central America)

Regionalism used in Mexico

(Mexico)

Regionalism used in South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela

(South America)

His dad's in the can for dealing.Su padre está en el bote por traficar droga.

c. la chirona

(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(F)

A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).

(slang)

Regionalism used in Spain

(Spain)

They threw him in the can for armed robbery.Lo tiraron a la chirona por robo armado.

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

(buttocks)

Regionalism used in the United States

(United States)

a. el culo

(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(M)

A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).

(colloquial)

Rob deserves a good kick in the can for that.Rob se merece una buena patada en el culo por eso.

A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g. I bought a book.).

transitive verb

10. (to preserve by sealing)

a. enlatar

She usually cans vegetables for the homeless every December.Suele enlatar verduras para la gente sin hogar cada diciembre.

11.

A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).

(slang)

(to fire)

Regionalism used in the United States

(United States)

a. poner de patitas en la calle

A very informal word or phrase used by a particular group or community as a substitute for standard language (e.g., joint, john).

(slang)

My boss canned me for reading comics at work.El jefe me puso de patitas en la calle por leer cómics en el trabajo.

can

[kæn]

noun

1. lata (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

2. baño (m) (familiar) (toilet) (Estados Unidos)tigre (m) (español de España)

3. cárcel (f) (familiar) (prison) (Estados Unidos)chirona (f) (español de España)cana (f) (Andes, RP)bote (m) (español de México)

verbo transitivo (pt & pp canned)

4. enlatar (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.

1. poder (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

2. saber (know how to)

I can swim sé nadar
she can play the violin sabe tocar el violín

3. poder (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?

4. poder (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?

can [kæn]

modal verb

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 or cannot go any further no puedo seguir

I'll tell you all I can te diré todo lo que pueda

he will do all he can to help you hará lo posible por ayudarte

you can but ask con preguntar no se pierde nada

they couldn't help it ellos no tienen la culpa

"have another helping" — "I really couldn't" —¿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! ¿cómo pudiste mentirme?

how can you say that? ¿cómo te atreves a decir eso?

you can't be serious ¿lo dices en serio?

it can't be true ¡no puede ser!

what can he want? ¿qué querrá?

where on earth can she be? ¿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 cry soy tan feliz que me dan ganas de llorar or que me voy a echar a llorar

I could have cried me daban ganas de llorar

I could 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

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