Speaking: Grammar in Speaking A2 - Lesson 5: Using "can/can't" for Ability

Speaking A2

🦸‍♂️

Abilities

សមត្ថភាព (Can / Can't)

We use Can and Can't to talk about things we are able to do (like a superpower!).

យើងប្រើប្រាស់ Can (អាច) និង Can't (មិនអាច) ដើម្បីនិយាយអំពីសមត្ថភាព ឬជំនាញដែលយើងអាចធ្វើបាន។

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1. Affirmative (+)

ទម្រង់ស្រប (Can)

I can swim.

ខ្ញុំអាចហែលទឹកបាន។ /aɪ kən swɪm/

She can speak English.

នាងអាចនិយាយភាសាអង់គ្លេសបាន។ /ʃi kən spiːk ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

Pronunciation Tip: In positive sentences, "can" sounds very short and weak (/kən/ "kun").

❌

2. Negative (-)

ទម្រង់បដិសេធ (Can't / Cannot)

I can't fly.

ខ្ញុំមិនអាចហោះបានទេ។ /aɪ kænt flaɪ/

He cannot cook.

គាត់មិនចេះធ្វើម្ហូបទេ។ (ទម្រង់ពេញ) /hi ˈkænɒt kʊk/

Pronunciation Tip: In negative sentences, "can't" is spoken very strongly (/kænt/).

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3. Questions (?)

ទម្រង់សំណួរ (Can you...?)

Can you drive?

តើអ្នកចេះបើកឡានទេ? /kən ju draɪv/

Yes, I can. No, I can't.

What can he do?

តើគាត់អាចធ្វើអ្វីបានខ្លះ?

📊

Degrees of Ability

កម្រិតនៃសមត្ថភាព (ពូកែប៉ុណ្ណា?)

I can sing very well. ខ្ញុំចេះច្រៀងពូកែណាស់។ (100%)

I can sing quite well. ខ្ញុំចេះច្រៀងគួរសម។ (75%)

I can sing a little. ខ្ញុំចេះច្រៀងបន្តិចបន្តួច។ (25%)

I can't sing at all. ខ្ញុំមិនចេះច្រៀងទាល់តែសោះ។ (0%)

The "To" & "S" Trap! ⚠️

"Can" is a strong modal. It doesn't need help!

(ប្រយ័ត្ន! កុំប្រើពាក្យ "to" នៅចន្លោះ 'can' និងកិរិយាសព្ទ។ ហើយទោះបីជាប្រធានជា He/She ក៏ដោយ ក៏ហាមថែម 's' នៅពីក្រោយកិរិយាសព្ទដែរ!)

I can to swim. ❌
I can swim. ✅

He can swims. ❌
He can swim. ✅

Quick Check ⚡

ការត្រួតពិនិត្យរហ័ស

Affirmative Ability

She ___ play the guitar.

(នាងចេះលេងហ្គីតា។)

GRAMMAR TRAP! ❌

He can ___ fast.

(គាត់អាចរត់បានលឿន។)

Question Form

___ they speak French?

(តើពួកគេចេះនិយាយភាសាបារាំងទេ?)

Degree of Ability

(0% ability)

I can't dance ___.

(ខ្ញុំមិនចេះរាំទាល់តែសោះ។)

Meaning Check

"Can you swim?"

តើប្រយោគមួយនេះសួរអំពីអ្វី?

🌟

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

The Talent Show 🌟 (សរសេរប្រយោគ ៣ អំពីអ្វីដែលអ្នកអាចធ្វើបានល្អ។ ឧ. I can draw very well.)

🎤

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

The Interview 🎤 (សួរមិត្តភក្តិ ឬអ្នកផ្ទះចំនួន ៣ សំណួរ ដោយប្រើ "Can you...?"។ ឧ. Can you cook?)

🙈

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តផ្ទាល់!

Honesty Hour 🙈 (សារភាពរឿង ១ ដែលអ្នកមិនអាចធ្វើបានទាល់តែសោះ។ ឧ. I can't sing at all!)

Pronunciation Master

មេរៀនជាវីដេអូ

Speaking Tip: Native speakers say "can" very quickly (/kən/), but they say "can't" with much more force and stress. Watch the video to hear the difference!

Ask a Question 🙋‍♂️

តើអ្នកមានចម្ងល់មែនទេ? សួរគ្រូនៅទីនេះ!

U

Recent Questions

S

Sovan 2 hours ago

Teacher, what is the difference between "can't" and "cannot"?

Reply 👍 12

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 1 hour ago

Hi Sovan! They mean exactly the same thing. "Can't" is just the short form (contraction) and is used in speaking and informal writing. "Cannot" is the full form, used in formal writing (like an essay). Note that "cannot" is always written as ONE word, not two! 📝

V

Vireak 5 hours ago

I always hear people say "Can I go to the bathroom?" Is that about ability?

Reply 👍 8

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 4 hours ago

Good ear, Vireak! "Can" has two main uses. The first is *Ability* (I can swim), which we learned today. The second is *Permission* (Can I go?). So in your example, they are asking for permission, not if they have the physical ability to walk to the bathroom! 🚽😂