What is ‘Can’ for?

We use can to talk about abilities. It means ‘to be able to’ or ‘to know how to do something’.

• We use can to say what people or things have the skill or possibility to do.
• The structure is: Subject + can + base form of the verb.

For example:

• I can swim. (I have the ability to swim.)
• She can play the guitar. (She has the skill to play the guitar.)
• Birds can fly. (Birds have the ability to fly.)

What is ‘Can’t’ for?

We use can’t to talk about a lack of ability. It is the short form of cannot.

• Can’t means ‘not able to’ or ‘not knowing how to do something’.
• The structure is: Subject + can’t + base form of the verb.

For example:

• I can’t sing. (I don’t have the ability to sing.)
• He can’t speak French. (He doesn’t have the skill to speak French.)
• Fish can’t walk. (Fish don’t have the ability to walk.)

How to Ask Questions with ‘Can’?

To ask a question about ability, we put can at the beginning of the sentence.

• The structure is: Can + Subject + base form of the verb?

For example:

• Can you help me?
• Can she drive?
• Can they understand English?

For short answers, we use Yes, I can. or No, I can’t.

• Can you swim? Yes, I can.
• Can he cook? No, he can’t.

Is ‘Can’ Different for ‘He’, ‘She’, ‘It’?

No, can and can’t are special verbs. They do not change for different subjects.

• You use can (or can’t) for I, you, he, she, it, we, and they.
• You do not add -s for he, she, it.

For example:

• I can run fast.
• He can run fast. (NOT He cans run fast.)
• She can’t dance.
• They can’t dance.

Forms of 'Can' and 'Can't' for Ability

Subject	Positive (Ability)	Negative (No Ability)	Question (Asking about Ability)
I	I can sing.	I can’t sing.	Can I sing?
You	You can dance.	You can’t dance.	Can you dance?
He / She / It	He can run.	He can’t run.	Can he run?
We	We can cook.	We can’t cook.	Can we cook?
They	They can play.	They can’t play.	Can they play?

Examples

• I can speak English.
• She can sing well.
• Birds can fly.
• He can’t swim.
• We can’t play the piano.
• Can you help me?
• Yes, I can.
• No, I can’t.

Practice

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Many Spanish speakers make a few common mistakes with can and can’t:

• Using ‘to’ after ‘can’: In Spanish, you might use ‘poder + infinitivo’. In English, can is followed directly by the base verb, without to.
  • Incorrect: I can to swim.
  • Correct: I can swim.
• Adding ‘-s’ for ‘he/she/it’: Remember, can is a modal verb and does not change form.
  • Incorrect: He cans speak English.
  • Correct: He can speak English.
• Using ‘don’t/doesn’t’ for negative: Can’t is already negative. You don’t need do not or does not.
  • Incorrect: I don’t can swim.
  • Correct: I can’t swim.

Frequently asked questions

What does ‘can’ mean in English?

Can means that someone or something has the ability or skill to do something. For example, I can speak English means I have the ability to speak English.

Is ‘can’ a verb?

Yes, can is a type of verb called a modal verb. Modal verbs help other verbs and express things like ability, possibility, or permission.

What is the difference between ‘can’ and ‘can’t’?

Can expresses a positive ability (e.g., I can read). Can’t expresses a negative ability, meaning someone is not able to do something (e.g., I can’t fly).

Do I need to change ‘can’ for ‘he’ or ‘she’?

No, can is a special verb that does not change. You use can for all subjects: I can, you can, he can, she can, it can, we can, they can.