Can, Could, Be Able To

can, could, be able to
can / could are modal auxiliary verbs.
be able to is NOT an auxiliary verb (it uses the verb be as a main verb).
We include be able to here for convenience.
Can (poder / saber)

Can is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb.
We use can to:
 talk about possibility and ability
 make requests
 ask for or give permission
STRUCTURE OF COULD
The basic structure for can is:

subject + auxiliary + main verb
verb
can
The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without to).
USE OF CAN
can for possibility and ability

We use can to talk about what is possible, what we are able or free to do (somos capaces o libres de hacer):
 She can drive a car.
 John can speak Spanish.
 I cannot hear you. (I can't hear you.)
 Can you hear me?
Normally, we use can for the present.

But it is possible to use can when we make present decisions about future ability.
A. Can you help me with my homework? (present)
B. Sorry. I'm busy today. But I can help you tomorrow. (future)
can games for present ability

can for requests and orders (para solicitudes pedidos)
We often use can in a question to ask somebody to do something. This is not a real question - we do not really want to
know if the person is able to do something, we want them to do it! The use of can in this way is informal (mainly
between friends and family):
 Can you make a cup of coffee, please.
 Can you put the TV on.
 Can you come here a minute.
 Can you be quiet!
can for permission

We sometimes use can to ask or give permission for something:
A. Can I smoke in this room?
B. You can't smoke here, but you can smoke in the garden.
(Note that we also use could, may, might for permission. The use of can for permission is informal.)
can/could/may games for present permission
COULD (podría)
Could is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb.
We use could to:

 talk about past possibility or ability
 make requests (solicitud)
STRUCTURE OF COULD
subject + auxiliary + main verb

verb
could
The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without to).
Notice that:
 Could is invariable. There is only one form: could
 The main verb is always the bare infinitive.
USE OF COULD
could for past possibility or ability
We use could to talk about what was possible in the past, what we were able or free to do:
 I could swim when I was 5 years old.
 My grandmother could speak seven languages.
 When we arrived home, we could not open the door. (...couldn't open the door.)
 Could you understand what he was saying?
We use could (positive) and couldn't (negative) for general ability in the past. But when we talk about one special
occasion in the past, we use be able to (positive) and couldn't (negative). Look at these examples:
past
general specific occasion
+ My grandmother could speak Spanish. A man fell into the river yesterday. The police were able to save
him.
- My grandmother couldn't speak A man fell into the river yesterday. The police couldn't save him.
Spanish.
could games for past ability
could for requests
We often use could in a question to ask somebody to do something. The use of could in this way is fairly polite
(formal):
 Could you tell me where the bank is, please?
 Could you send me a catalogue, please?
BE ABLE TO (ser capaz de)

Although we look at be able to here, it is not a modal verb.
It is simply the verb be plus an adjective (able) followed by the infinitive.
We look at be able to here because we sometimes use it instead of (en vez de) can and could.
We use be able to:

 to talk about ability
STRUCTURE OF BE ABLE TO subjec main adjectiv to-

t verb e infinitive
The basic structure for be able to is: be able
+I am able to drive.
subject + be + able + to-
infinitive
- She is not able to drive.
isn't
? Are you able to drive?
Notice that be able to is possible in all tenses, for example:

 I was able to drive... (past)
 I will be able to drive... (future)
 I have been able to drive... (present perfect)
Notice too that be able to has an infinitive form:

 I would like to be able to speak Chinese.
USE OF BE ABLE TO
Be able to is NOT a modal auxiliary verb. We include it here for convenience, because it is often used like "can" and
"could", which are modal auxiliary verbs.
be able to for ability

We use be able to to express ability. "Able" is an adjective meaning: having the power, skill or means to do
something. If we say "I am able to swim", it is like saying "I can swim". We sometimes use be able to instead of
"can" or "could" for ability.
Beable
Be abletotoisispossible
possibleininall
alltenses
tenses--but
but"can"
"can"isispossible
possibleonly
onlyininthe
thepresent
presentand
and"could"
"could"isispossible
possibleonly
onlyininthe
thepast
pastfor
for ability.
ability. In addition,
In addition, "can""can" and "could"
and "could" havehave no infinitive
no infinitive form.form.
So weSouse
we be
useable
be able to when
to when we want
we want to other
to use use other
tenses
tenses or the
or the infinitive.infinitive.
Be able to is possible in all tenses - but "can" is possible only in the present and "could" is possible only in the past
for ability. In addition, "can" and "could" have no infinitive form. So we use be able to when we want to use other
Look at these examples:
 I have been able to swim since I was five. (present perfect)
 You will be able to speak perfect English very soon. (future simple)
 I would like to be able to fly an airplane. (infinitive)

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can, could, be able to

can / could are modal auxiliary verbs.

Can (poder / saber)

The basic structure for can is:

can for possibility and ability

Normally, we use can for the present.

can games for present ability

can for permission

We use could to:

subject + auxiliary + main verb

could for past possibility or ability

BE ABLE TO (ser capaz de)

We use be able to:

STRUCTURE OF BE ABLE TO subjec main adjectiv to-

? Are you able to drive?

Notice that be able to is possible in all tenses, for example:

Notice too that be able to has an infinitive form:

be able to for ability

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