Can and can't
Can እና can't ("እችላለሁ / አልችልም")
Talk about what you can and can't do, and ask for help or permission.
How it works
Use can to talk about ability (things you are able to do) and to ask for permission.
ችሎታን (ማድረግ የምንችላቸውን ነገሮች) ለመናገር እና ፈቃድ ለመጠየቅ can እንጠቀማለን።
The same form for everyone · ለሁሉም ሰው ተመሳሳይ ቅርጽ
I can swim. She can swim. They can swim.
መዋኘት እችላለሁ። መዋኘት ትችላለች። መዋኘት ይችላሉ።
Negative: can't (cannot) → He can't drive.
አሉታዊ፦ can't → መንዳት አይችልም።
Question: Can you speak Afaan Oromo?
ጥያቄ፦ ኦሮምኛ መናገር ይችላሉ?
After can, use the verb without to and without -s: She can sing (not She can sings or She can to sing).
ከcan በኋላ ግሱ to እና -s አይኖረውም፦ She can sing።
Examples
Listen, then tap the microphone to record yourself and compare. Your voice stays on your phone.
I can speak Amharic and English.
አማርኛ እና እንግሊዝኛ መናገር እችላለሁ።
My little brother can't swim.
ታናሽ ወንድሜ መዋኘት አይችልም።
Can you help me, please?
እባክዎ ሊረዱኝ ይችላሉ?
She can cook doro wat very well.
ዶሮ ወጥ በጣም ጥሩ አድርጋ መሥራት ትችላለች።
We can't come today.
ዛሬ መምጣት አንችልም።
Can I open the window?
መስኮቱን መክፈት እችላለሁ?