Meaning
| Forms of the MV
| Ways of rendering into Russian
| Forms of the infinitive
| Kinds of sentences
| Some other ways of expressing the same meaning
| Sentence patterns
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1. Ability, capability
| can (can’t) – the Present Tense
could (couldn’t) – the Past Tense
| может
мог, могли
| Indefinite Infinitive
| affirmative
interrogative
negative
| to be able to, to know how to do smth, to have the ability to do smth.
| He can perform complicated operations. He is a very skilful surgeon. Can she swim well? He could not feel or hear anything.
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2. Possibility due to circumstances
| can (can’t) – the Present Tense
could (couldn’t) – the Past Tense
| могу
может
мог
могли
| Indefinite Infinitive
| affirmative
interrogative
negative
| to be able to, it’s possible to do smth
| At a chemist’s shop you can get medicines of all kinds. I can go to the seaside this summer if I have enough money.
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3.
a) Permission
b) Request
c) Prohibition
| can– the Present Tense
could– the Past Tense in Reported Speech
can
could(a polite request)
can’t
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можешь
можете
могу ли я
не могли бы вы
нельзя
|
Indefinite Infinitive
Indefinite Infinitive
Indefinite Infinitive
|
affirmative
interrogative
negative
|
to permit, to be allowed
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The doctor said: “You can take long walks early in the morning”
Can (could) you give me some medicine for my headache?
You can’t visit him he has an infectious disease.
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4. Unreality
| could –the Subjunctive II Form
| мог бы
могли бы
| The Indefinite Infinitive refers the action to the present or future.
The Perfect Infinitive indicates the action which was not carried out in the past
| affirmative
interrogative
negative
| would be able to do smth;
would have been able to do smth
| Why don’t you want the doctor to come? He could prescribe some medicine to bring down the fever (if he came).
You could have stayed in bed for a few days. But you didn’t.
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5. Uncertainty, doubt, astonishment
| can/could
| неужели
может ли быть, чтобы
| The Indefinite Infinitive refers the action to the present or future.
The Continuous Infinitive refers the action to the present.
The Perfect Infinitive refers the action to the past.
The Perfect Continuous Infinitive denotes an action begun in the past and continued into the moment of speaking
| interrogative (general questions)
| Is it possible that …?
Do you believe that …?
| Can (could) he be her husband?
He is twice as old as she is.
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| Can (could)she still be running a high temperature?
Can (could)he have been operated on?
Can (could)they have been keeping to a diet for a few years?
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6. Incredulity, improbability
| can’t/couldn’t
| не может быть, чтобы;
невероятно, чтобы;
вряд ли
| Indefinite Infinitive
Continuous Infinitive
Perfect Infinitive
Perfect Continuous Infinitive
| negative
| It’s hardly possible that; I refuse to believe that; I don’t think it’s possible that; it’s next to impossible that; I don’t believe that; I doubt that; It’s incredible (doubtful) that
| He can’t (couldn’t) be her husband.
She can’t (couldn’t) be still running a high temperature.
He can’t (couldn’t) have been operated on.
They can’t (couldn’t) have been keeping to a diet for a few years.
|
7. For emotional colouring
| can/could(in present time contexts)
| Да что ты можешь…?
И что они …
И о чем они …
И как он …
И что это она …
| Indefinite Infinitive
Continuous Infinitive
Perfect Infinitive
Perfect Continuous Infinitive
| interrogative
(special questions)
|
| What can (could) you know of such things?
What can (could) they be speaking about?
How can (could) you have made such a mistake?
What can (could) he have been doingall this time?
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Notes
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I. Remember the following set phrases with the verb can:
1. CAN’T/COULDN’T + HELP + DOING smth
e.g.: She can’t help crying. – Она не может не плакать. He couldn’t stop admiring the city. Он не мог не восхищаться городом.
2.CAN’T/COULDN’T +BUT + INFINITIVE (without “to”)
e.g.: I can’t but ask about it. – Мне ничего другого не остается, как спросить об этом. They couldn’t’t but refuse him. - Им ничего другого не оставалось, как отказать ему.
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II. The Russian sentences of the type “ Неужели он не заметил вас? Не может быть, чтобы он не заметил вас. Неужели ему не нравится здесь? Не может быть, чтобы ему здесь не нравилось” are rendered in English in the following ways:
1. Can (could) he have failed to notice you? 2. Can (could) he dislike it here? 3. Can (could) nobody have seen him do it? 4. Can (could) he have never got my letter? 5. Can (could) it be that he didn’t notice you? 6. He can’t (couldn’t) have failed to notice you. 7. He can’t (couldn’t) dislike it here.
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