can

A1 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

Also spelled k’n

US /kən/ UK /ˈkæn/ See IPA manual

Freq #30

Meanings

1

verb
To be able to do something.

Can you remember your fifth birthday?
2

verb
To be allowed or permitted to do something.

You can go outside and play when you have finished your homework.
3

verb
Used to make a request, often a polite one.

Can you please come over here for a moment?
4

verb
To know how to do something.

She can speak English, French, and German.
5

verb
Used to say that something is possible.

This road can get very busy during rush hour.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to be able to do something. be able to

2 verb · to be allowed or permitted... may

More dump junk sack scrap stifle

Word family

Forms canningcanscanstcouldst

Derived forms ashcancan-docan-do-nesscan-doercan-eatercan-kickingcanakincandockcanfulcanhousecankincanlike

Related forms can-cancancanobama-canobamacan

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

can opener
a tool that cuts or removes the lid of a sealed food can

Noun + noun

Idioms (4)

See all

Simplified etymology

The container noun can comes from Old English cann, a general term for a vessel holding liquids, and may ultimately derive from Latin canna, “cane, reed, or tube.” Its modern restriction to a usually cylindrical metal container developed later.

Etymology

From Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (whence also know). Doublet of con. See also: canny, cunning.

*ǵneh₃- Proto-Indo-European can Middle English cann Old English *kunnan Proto-West Germanic *kunnaną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Grammar & Function Words

External links

# can

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkæn/
**Frequency rank:** 30

## Meanings
1. To be able to do something.
2. To be allowed or permitted to do something.
3. Used to make a request, often a polite one.
4. To know how to do something.
5. Used to say that something is possible.

## Examples
- Can you remember your fifth birthday?
- You can go outside and play when you have finished your homework.
- Can you please come over here for a moment?
- She can speak English, French, and German.
- This road can get very busy during rush hour.

## Synonyms
- dump
- junk
- sack
- scrap
- stifle

## Derived Forms
- ashcan
- can-do
- can-do-ness
- can-doer
- can-eater
- can-kicking
- canakin
- candock
- canful
- canhouse
- cankin
- canlike

## Related Forms
- can-can
- cancan
- obama-can
- obamacan

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ǵneh₃-
- Root: can
- Root: cann
- Root: *kunnan
- Root: *kunnaną

## Etymology
From Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (whence also know). Doublet of con. See also: canny, cunning.

## AI Etymology
Can comes from Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (whence also know). Doublet of con. See also: canny, cunning.

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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can