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Expressing present, past and future ability using can, could and be able to.
English commonly expresses ability with can, could, and be able to.
The appropriate form depends on the time reference, sentence structure, and whether the meaning concerns general or specific ability.
She can swim.
Она умеет плавать.
"Can" expresses present ability.
When I was young, I could run fast.
Когда я был молод, я мог быстро бегать.
"Could" expresses past general ability.
He will be able to drive soon.
Он скоро сможет водить машину.
"Be able to" is used for future ability.
Use can to express ability that someone has now.
For example, I can swim, She can speak Spanish, and They can solve the problem.
I can swim.
Я умею плавать.
Can + base form for present ability.
She can speak Spanish.
Она умеет говорить по-испански.
Present ability.
They can solve the problem.
Они могут решить эту проблему.
Present ability.
Can is commonly used for general skills and abilities.
For example, He can drive, She can play the piano, and I can understand French.
He can drive.
Он умеет водить машину.
General skill.
She can play the piano.
Она умеет играть на пианино.
General ability.
I can understand French.
Я понимаю французский.
General ability.
Use could to describe general ability that someone had in the past.
For example, When I was young, I could run very fast.
When I was young, I could run very fast.
Когда я был молод, я мог бегать очень быстро.
Could for general ability in the past.
She could read when she was four.
Она умела читать в четыре года.
Past general ability.
They could swim well before the accident.
Они хорошо плавали до несчастного случая.
Past ability.
Be able to can express ability in different tenses and grammatical structures.
For example, I am able to help, She was able to finish, and They will be able to come.
I am able to help you.
Я в состоянии помочь тебе.
Be able to in present.
She was able to finish the race.
Она смогла закончить гонку.
Past ability/specific achievement.
They will be able to come tomorrow.
Они смогут прийти завтра.
Future ability.
Can and be able to often express the same general ability in the present.
Can is shorter and more common in everyday English, while be able to is useful when can cannot provide the required tense or structure.
I can swim.
Я умею плавать.
Can is shorter and more common.
I am able to swim.
Я в состоянии плавать.
Be able to is more formal or explicit.
She will be able to drive after the course.
Она сможет водить после курса.
Be able to for future because can has no future form.
For a single successful action in the past, was or were able to is often preferred over could.
For example, Despite the difficulty, I was able to finish the task. Could is generally more natural for general past ability.
Despite the difficulty, I was able to finish the task.
Несмотря на трудности, я смог завершить задачу.
Was able to for a single successful action.
After searching for hours, she was able to find her keys.
После многочасовых поисков она смогла найти ключи.
Specific achievement.
He was able to escape from the burning building.
Он смог выбраться из горящего здания.
Specific achievement.
Could can express either past ability or possibility, depending on context.
Compare When I was younger, I could run ten kilometres with We could take the train.
When I was younger, I could run ten kilometres.
Когда я был моложе, я мог пробежать десять километров.
Could = past ability.
We could take the train.
Мы могли бы поехать на поезде.
Could = possibility.
It could be cold later.
Позже может быть холодно.
Could = possibility.
Use cannot or can't for present inability and could not or couldn't for past inability.
For example, I cannot swim and She could not walk after the accident.
I cannot swim.
Я не умею плавать.
Cannot for present inability.
She could not walk after the accident.
После аварии она не могла ходить.
Could not for past inability.
They can't come tonight.
Они не могут прийти сегодня вечером.
Can't contraction.
Use will be able to to express ability in the future.
The core modal can does not normally have a future form, so be able to is used instead.
I will be able to help you tomorrow.
Я смогу помочь тебе завтра.
Will be able to for future ability.
She will be able to speak English fluently in a year.
Через год она сможет свободно говорить по-английски.
Future ability.
They won't be able to attend the meeting.
Они не смогут присутствовать на встрече.
Negative future ability.
Use have or has been able to to express ability achieved or maintained up to the present.
For example, She has been able to work remotely for several months.
She has been able to work remotely for several months.
Она уже несколько месяцев может работать удалённо.
Have/has been able to for ability up to present.
I have been able to solve the problem.
Мне удалось решить проблему.
Present perfect ability.
They haven't been able to find a solution yet.
Они ещё не смогли найти решение.
Negative present perfect ability.
Use had been able to to express ability that existed before another past reference point.
For example, By the time the course ended, he had been able to complete all the assignments.
By the time the course ended, he had been able to complete all the assignments.
К концу курса он смог выполнить все задания.
Had been able to for ability before a past reference point.
She had been able to save enough money before she lost her job.
Она успела накопить достаточно денег до потери работы.
Past perfect ability.
They had not been able to contact the authorities before the storm.
Они не смогли связаться с властями до шторма.
Negative past perfect ability.
Be able to can occur in progressive and other complex structures when the grammar requires them.
For example, She is being able to solve the problem is generally unnatural, but She is becoming able to work independently describes a developing ability.
She is becoming able to work independently.
Она становится способной работать самостоятельно.
Becoming able to = developing ability.
He was being able to solve the problem.
Он был в состоянии решить проблему.
Unnatural; avoid continuous with be able to; use simple forms.
Over time, she is getting more able to express herself.
Со временем она становится способнее выражать свои мысли.
Getting more able to = developing ability.
Be able to is useful after other verbs, modals, and structures that cannot normally be followed directly by can.
For example, I hope to be able to help, She wants to be able to drive, and We may be able to finish today.
I hope to be able to help.
Я надеюсь, что смогу помочь.
To be able to after hope.
She wants to be able to drive.
Она хочет уметь водить машину.
Wants + to be able to.
We may be able to finish today.
Мы, возможно, сможем закончить сегодня.
May + be able to.
Be able to can occur in gerund structures where can cannot.
For example, Being able to speak English is useful.
Being able to speak English is useful.
Уметь говорить по-английски полезно.
Being able to as gerund subject.
She enjoys being able to travel.
Ей нравится иметь возможность путешествовать.
Gerund after enjoy.
Being able to work from home has changed his life.
Возможность работать из дома изменила его жизнь.
Gerund phrase as subject.
Ability expressions can describe learned skills, physical capabilities, mental skills, or circumstances that make an action possible.
For example, She can solve complex equations describes a skill, while I can see the mountains describes a current perceptual ability.
She can solve complex equations.
Она умеет решать сложные уравнения.
Mental skill.
He can lift heavy weights.
Он может поднимать тяжёлые веса.
Physical capability.
I can see the mountains from here.
Отсюда я вижу горы.
Perceptual ability.
Can sometimes describes an opportunity or available possibility rather than a personal skill.
For example, We can meet tomorrow may mean that circumstances make the meeting possible.
We can meet tomorrow.
Мы можем встретиться завтра.
Can = opportunity / arrangement possible.
Can you help me with this?
Ты можешь помочь мне с этим?
Can = opportunity/availability.
They can join us for dinner.
Они могут присоединиться к нам на ужин.
Can = opportunity.
Can is highly common in everyday English, while be able to is often preferred when a more explicit or formal construction is needed.
For example, The system is able to process large files is more formal than The system can process large files.
The system can process large files.
Система может обрабатывать большие файлы.
Can is neutral/common.
The system is able to process large files.
Система способна обрабатывать большие файлы.
Be able to is more formal.
I can't come to the party.
Я не могу прийти на вечеринку.
Informal use of can't.
Can and be able to can express ability or opportunity in conditional structures.
For example, If you practise, you will be able to improve quickly.
If you practise, you will be able to improve quickly.
Если будешь практиковаться, сможешь быстро улучшиться.
Will be able to in main clause.
If she had a car, she could drive to work.
Если бы у неё была машина, она могла бы ездить на работу.
Could for hypothetical ability.
If we had more time, we would be able to finish.
Если бы у нас было больше времени, мы смогли бы закончить.
Would be able to for hypothetical.
Can normally describes present general ability, while could describes general ability in the past.
Compare I can swim with I could swim when I was five.
I can swim.
Я умею плавать.
Present general ability: can.
I could swim when I was five.
Я умел плавать в пять лет.
Past general ability: could.
She can speak French, but she couldn't when she was young.
Она умеет говорить по-французски, но не умела в детстве.
Contrast present and past.
Could usually describes general past ability, while was or were able to often describes a specific successful achievement.
Compare I could read when I was four with I was able to find the missing file yesterday.
I could read when I was four.
Я умел читать в четыре года.
General past ability: could.
I was able to find the missing file yesterday.
Вчера мне удалось найти пропавший файл.
Specific achievement: was able to.
The firemen were able to rescue the child.
Пожарные смогли спасти ребёнка.
Specific achievement.
Could have + past participle can express a past ability or opportunity that existed but was not necessarily used.
For example, I could have won the race means winning was possible, although it did not happen.
I could have won the race.
Я мог бы выиграть гонку.
Could have + past participle: unrealised past ability/opportunity.
She could have helped us, but she didn't.
Она могла бы нам помочь, но не помогла.
Unrealised ability.
They could have finished earlier if they had started on time.
Они могли бы закончить раньше, если бы начали вовремя.
Past possibility with condition.
Be able to can be used in passive-related structures when the ability to perform an action is being described.
For example, The software is able to be configured remotely is grammatical but often replaced by a more natural active construction.
The software is able to be configured remotely.
Программное обеспечение может быть настроено удалённо.
Be able to in passive-like construction.
The task was able to be completed on time.
Задачу удалось выполнить вовремя.
Was able to be + past participle.
The problem can be solved easily.
Проблема может быть легко решена.
Can + be + past participle; more natural than be able to passive.
Choose can, could, or be able to according to time, meaning, and grammatical structure.
Common mistakes include using can for future ability, using could for a specific successful past achievement, adding to after can, and using was able to when general past ability is intended.
I will can come tomorrow.
Я смогу прийти завтра.
Incorrect: no future form of can; use "will be able to come".
She could to swim when she was young.
Она умела плавать, когда была молодой.
Incorrect: no "to" after could; use "could swim".
I was able to swim when I was five.
Я умел плавать в пять лет.
Acceptable but "could swim" is more natural for general past ability.
He could finish the task yesterday.
Он смог закончить задание вчера.
For specific achievement, use "was able to finish".
Can he swim? — Yes, he cans.
Он умеет плавать? — Да.
Incorrect short answer: use "Yes, he can."