Can in Different Languages
Discover 'Can' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'can' is a small but powerful part of many languages, denoting ability, possibility, and permission. It's a word that can inspire confidence, spark curiosity, and encourage exploration. 'Can' is also a word that transcends cultural boundaries, making it a perfect starting point for anyone interested in language and culture.
Throughout history, the concept of 'can' has played a significant role in human development. From the first time our ancestors realized they 'could' create tools, to the Wright brothers' famous 'can we make a machine that will fly?', the word has symbolized human potential and progress.
Understanding the translation of 'can' in different languages can provide unique insights into the cultures that use them. For example, in Spanish, 'puedo' not only means 'I can' but also 'I am able to', emphasizing the speaker's capability.
Here are some translations of 'can' in various languages, just the beginning of your journey into the world of language and culture.
Can
Can in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | kan | ||
| Afrikaans "kan" also means "know" or "understand", coming from Dutch "kennen" and "kunnen". | |||
| Amharic | ይችላል | ||
| The word "ይችላል" can also mean "is able to" or "is possible to" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | iya | ||
| Hausa has two terms for 'can' - `iya` which also means 'will', and `za ta iya` which means 'will be in a position to'. | |||
| Igbo | nwere ike | ||
| The Igbo word "nwere ike" means "can" but also carries the meanings of ability, power, and force. | |||
| Malagasy | afaka | ||
| "Afaka" in Malagasy can also mean "to be able" or "to have the ability". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | angathe | ||
| The Nyanja word 'angathe' can also refer to a type of large cooking pot. | |||
| Shona | unogona | ||
| The word "Unogona" can also mean "you are able" or "you have the ability". | |||
| Somali | awoodo | ||
| The word "awoodo" can also mean "ability" or "power" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | ka khona | ||
| The etymology of the word "ka khona" is uncertain, but it may be related to the verb "kha" (to eat), suggesting that the concept of "can" originated from the idea of being able to consume something. | |||
| Swahili | unaweza | ||
| The word "unaweza" in Swahili is derived from the root word "weza" meaning "to be able", and can also mean "to be possible" or "to be capable". | |||
| Xhosa | unako | ||
| The word "unako" in Xhosa also means "to be able to" and is used to express ability, permission, or possibility. | |||
| Yoruba | le | ||
| The verb "le" in Yoruba also signifies "to have" or "to own". | |||
| Zulu | can | ||
| The word "can" in Zulu can mean either a metal container or the ability to be able to do something. | |||
| Bambara | ka se | ||
| Ewe | ate ŋu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | irashobora | ||
| Lingala | akoki | ||
| Luganda | -sobola | ||
| Sepedi | ka | ||
| Twi (Akan) | bɛtumi | ||
Can in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | يستطيع | ||
| The word "يستطيع" is derived from the root "ط-و-ع" which means "to be submissive or obedient". It can also mean "to be able to do something" or "to have the power or authority to do something". | |||
| Hebrew | פחית | ||
| "פחית" (can) comes from the word "פח" (tin), which was used to make cans in the past. | |||
| Pashto | کولی شی | ||
| The word "کولی شی" in Pashto can also refer to a type of traditional woolen blanket or a water container made of animal skin. | |||
| Arabic | يستطيع | ||
| The word "يستطيع" is derived from the root "ط-و-ع" which means "to be submissive or obedient". It can also mean "to be able to do something" or "to have the power or authority to do something". | |||
Can in Western European Languages
| Albanian | mundet | ||
| The word "mundet" is also used to refer to a jar or pot in Albanian. | |||
| Basque | daiteke | ||
| The Basque word "daiteke" may also refer to a "vessel", "receptacle", or "reservoir" and is likely derived from the Latin "dolium" (a large jar). | |||
| Catalan | llauna | ||
| The Catalan word "llauna" also refers to the metal sheet used to make cans or other containers. | |||
| Croatian | limenka | ||
| The word "limenka" comes from the German "limone", meaning "lime", referring to the fruit with a thick green skin and tart juicy pulp | |||
| Danish | kan | ||
| In Danish, "kan" can also mean "know" or "be able to." | |||
| Dutch | kan | ||
| In Dutch, "kan" can also refer to a jug, pitcher, or jar. | |||
| English | can | ||
| The word "can" can also refer to a container, such as a tin can or a watering can. | |||
| French | pouvez | ||
| "Pouvez" comes from the Latin "possum," so it can also mean "be able". | |||
| Frisian | kinne | ||
| The word "kinne" in Frisian can also refer to a milk churn or a drinking vessel. | |||
| Galician | pode | ||
| pode' comes from the Latin 'possum,' meaning 'I am able,' also related to the Portuguese word 'poder' (to be able), Catalan 'poder' (to be able), and Spanish 'poder' (to be able). | |||
| German | können | ||
| The German word “können” also means “to know how to” which explains the related English word “cunning” meaning “skill” rather than “deceit”. | |||
| Icelandic | dós | ||
| In Icelandic, "dós" is also a measure of volume for fish, usually equal to 18 gallons or 80 liters. | |||
| Irish | féidir | ||
| The Irish word "féidir" can also be used to mean "ability" or "possibility". | |||
| Italian | può | ||
| In Italian, "può" also means "stinks" or "smells bad". | |||
| Luxembourgish | kann | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "kann" can also mean "does" or "can do". | |||
| Maltese | jista ' | ||
| The Maltese word 'jista' can also be used to mean 'possible' or 'likely'. | |||
| Norwegian | kan | ||
| The Norwegian word "kan" can mean "to be able to" or "to know how to". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | posso | ||
| In Portuguese, "posso" can mean "can" but also "may," "am able to," or "have the ability to." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | urrainn | ||
| The word "urrainn" derives from the Scots "orane" or "ourane" meaning "an earthen vessel made to hold water." | |||
| Spanish | pueden | ||
| The verb "pueden" in Spanish can also mean "they may" or "they are able to". | |||
| Swedish | burk | ||
| In Swedish, the word "burk" can also refer to a tin can or a jar. | |||
| Welsh | can | ||
| The word "can" in Welsh is also used to refer to a person's ability or permission to do something. | |||
Can in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | можа | ||
| Белорусское слово "можа" образовано от праславянского слова "мог", обозначавшего "сила", "мощность". | |||
| Bosnian | mogu | ||
| The word "mogu" can also refer to a type of mushroom in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | мога | ||
| "Мога" comes from an Old Bulgarian word that also means "force" or "strength." | |||
| Czech | umět | ||
| "Umět" also means "to know" or "to be able to". | |||
| Estonian | saab | ||
| In Estonian, "saab" can also refer to the lid of a box or the ability to do something. | |||
| Finnish | voi | ||
| The word "voi" in Finnish can also be used to express permission, sorrow, or regret. | |||
| Hungarian | tud | ||
| The archaic and rare Hungarian word 'tud' derives from the Proto-Uralic word 'tūta' meaning 'to be capable'. | |||
| Latvian | var | ||
| The word "var" can also mean "may" or "might" and comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*wer-" meaning "to cover". | |||
| Lithuanian | gali | ||
| The word "gali" has several meanings depending on the context, but it can generally be translated as "can" or "may". It is cognate with the English word "can", but also has different meanings such as "might" or "ability". | |||
| Macedonian | може | ||
| The word "може" in Macedonian can also mean “perhaps” or “maybe”. | |||
| Polish | mogą | ||
| The word 'mogą' can also refer to the ability or permission to do something. | |||
| Romanian | poate sa | ||
| The term "poate sa" can in certain contexts mean "is possible to" | |||
| Russian | может | ||
| The word "может" can also mean "maybe" or "possibly" in Russian, depending on the context and intonation. | |||
| Serbian | моћи | ||
| The Serbian word 'моћи' ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European *meǵh-, meaning 'to be able' or 'power'. | |||
| Slovak | môcť | ||
| The word "môcť" can also mean "ability" or "permission." | |||
| Slovenian | lahko | ||
| Lahko can also mean possible, likely, or probable. | |||
| Ukrainian | може | ||
| The word "може" can also mean "possibly" or "maybe" in Ukrainian. | |||
Can in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | করতে পারা | ||
| ‘করতে পারা’ শব্দের আক্ষরিক অর্থে ‘করতে পারা’, কিন্তু কখনো মুক্তি তথা সামর্থ্য প্রকাশ করে | |||
| Gujarati | કરી શકો છો | ||
| The Gujarati "કરી શકો છો" can also denote ability in addition to permission, like the English "are/were capable of". | |||
| Hindi | कर सकते हैं | ||
| In Hindi, 'कर सकते हैं' can also mean 'are able to' or 'can do' in English. | |||
| Kannada | ಮಾಡಬಹುದು | ||
| The word "ಮಾಡಬಹುದು" can also mean "can (a food item)" or "can (a container)" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | കഴിയും | ||
| The Malayalam word "കഴിയും" is an irregular verb which can also mean "to finish", "to be enough", or "to be possible". | |||
| Marathi | करू शकता | ||
| करू शकता is a compound of the Marathi words करू (do) and शकता (be possible), similar to the English word "can". | |||
| Nepali | सक्छ | ||
| The word 'सक्छ' originates from the Sanskrit word 'शक्नोति', meaning 'to be able to' or 'to have the power to'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਰ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පුළුවන් | ||
| පුළුවන් derives from Tamil, where it originally meant "to be able." | |||
| Tamil | முடியும் | ||
| Tamil "முடியும்" also means "to be completed," as in the sense of being able to finish a task. | |||
| Telugu | చెయ్యవచ్చు | ||
| చెయ్యవచ్చు can mean 'permission' or 'ability', and is not always related to possibility or prediction as in English. | |||
| Urdu | کر سکتے ہیں | ||
| Urdu "کر سکتے ہیں" and English "can" are cognate words originating from a shared Indo-European root, indicating an ability or permission. | |||
Can in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 能够 | ||
| 能够 literally means "have ability" and is used like "be able to" in English. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 能夠 | ||
| "能夠" also refers to "able to" or "competent in doing something". | |||
| Japanese | できる | ||
| In addition to "can," "できる" can also mean "to become able to," "to be able to do," "to be capable of," "to be possible," "to succeed," or "to win." | |||
| Korean | 할 수있다 | ||
| The word "할 수 있다" can also be used to express permission or ability, similar to the English word "may". | |||
| Mongolian | чадах | ||
| The word "чадах" has Proto-Mongolic roots and can also mean "to put" or "to pour in". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လုပ်နိုင် | ||
Can in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bisa | ||
| The term "bisa" also refers to the ability or potential to do something, similar to the English word "can". | |||
| Javanese | bisa | ||
| The Javanese word "bisa" can also mean "poison". | |||
| Khmer | អាច | ||
| "អាច" is derived from Sanskrit "śak" and also means "able" or "possible". | |||
| Lao | ສາມາດ | ||
| Malay | boleh | ||
| "Boleh" in Malay also means "to be allowed" or "to be possible." | |||
| Thai | สามารถ | ||
| "สามารถ" also means "to be able to, to have the ability". | |||
| Vietnamese | có thể | ||
| In Vietnamese, "có thể" can also mean "perhaps" or "maybe", expressing a possibility or uncertainty. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pwede | ||
Can in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bacarmaq | ||
| The word "bacarmaq" also means "to be able" and derives from the Persian word "bāz-kardan" (to open). | |||
| Kazakh | мүмкін | ||
| The Kazakh word "мүмкін" can also mean "maybe" or "possibly". | |||
| Kyrgyz | мүмкүн | ||
| Мүмкүн is derived from the Mongolian word "mükin", meaning "possible" or "able to be done". | |||
| Tajik | метавонад | ||
| The word «метавонад» may also refer to ability in general rather than the physical object. | |||
| Turkmen | edip biler | ||
| Uzbek | mumkin | ||
| In Kazakh, the word "mumkin" means "possible" or "can be done". | |||
| Uyghur | قىلالايدۇ | ||
Can in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hiki | ||
| The word "hiki" in Hawaiian can also mean "to be able to do something" or "to be possible". | |||
| Maori | kēne | ||
| The word "kēne" in Māori can also mean "to be able to do something" or "to be capable of doing something." | |||
| Samoan | mafai | ||
| The Samoan word "mafai" can also mean "able" or "possible". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | maaari | ||
| The word 'maaari' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'maryada', which means 'boundary' or 'limit'. | |||
Can in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ch'ama | ||
| Guarani | ikatu | ||
Can in International Languages
| Esperanto | povas | ||
| The word "povas" can also refer to a type of fabric, a plant, or a musical instrument. | |||
| Latin | potes | ||
| Potes can also mean "are powerful" or "have authority" in Latin, derived from the verb "posse" which means "to be able". | |||
Can in Others Languages
| Greek | μπορώ | ||
| In Ancient Greek, "μπορώ" meant "I am able to" while in Modern Greek it means "I can". | |||
| Hmong | tuaj yeem | ||
| "Tuaj yeem" also means "able to" or "may." | |||
| Kurdish | qûtîk | ||
| Turkish | yapabilmek | ||
| The verb 'yapabilmek' is also used in Turkish to express a desire, a suggestion, or a polite request. | |||
| Xhosa | unako | ||
| The word "unako" in Xhosa also means "to be able to" and is used to express ability, permission, or possibility. | |||
| Yiddish | קענען | ||
| The Yiddish word "קענען" derives from the Middle High German "kunnen" meaning "to know" or "to be able" and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ǵen-" meaning "to know". | |||
| Zulu | can | ||
| The word "can" in Zulu can mean either a metal container or the ability to be able to do something. | |||
| Assamese | পাৰে | ||
| Aymara | ch'ama | ||
| Bhojpuri | सकिले | ||
| Dhivehi | ވާނެ | ||
| Dogri | सकना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pwede | ||
| Guarani | ikatu | ||
| Ilocano | kabaelan | ||
| Krio | kin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دەتوانێت | ||
| Maithili | कय सकैत | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯉꯝꯕ | ||
| Mizo | thei | ||
| Oromo | danda'a | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କରିପାରିବେ | | ||
| Quechua | atiy | ||
| Sanskrit | शक्नोति | ||
| Tatar | булдыра ала | ||
| Tigrinya | ይኽእል | ||
| Tsonga | nga | ||
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