# Icelandic : Can (GETA vs. KUNNA, ...)



## LurkingFox

What is the difference between geta and kunna in terms of use (apart from grammatical construction)? I understand they're apparently both used to mean "be able to", but is there a difference? Are they interchangeable? Is one used more than the other? 
Does *Getur þú sagt mér? * =  *Kannt þú að segir mér?*

And finally, how do you say "can" when the meaning is less "being able to" and more "would" or "could"? 
Example: "Can I ride this horse today?", "Can I get you anything?" 

Thanks!


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## Daniel20

Að kunna is to have the knowledge to do something e.g _ég kann tala íslensku_. As a result, you would not be able to say _kannt þú sagt mér_. 

_Kanntu talar íslensku?
Já, ég kann það. _

I am not sure how to explain að geta. To me it´s much more like the English version, like you have in your post: "can you tell me...".

Finally, I´m also not sure on your would/could question. I know if you´re asking for something in, for instance, a bar or café, a potential construction is _get eg fengið_ (can I get...), though it´s not particularly common. Icelandic, as in most instances, is more blunt than English, and people might say, _ég ætla að fá mér._.. (I´m gonna have...)


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## Silver_Biscuit

It's always worth checking the forum to see whether these things have come up before: http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2660188
It's only tangentially related, but you might also be interested in this one: http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2724599

Daniel basically explained it perfectly. To give a bit more info on _geta_, it is used for 'can' in the sense that there is nothing preventing you from doing something.

Compare: Ég kann ekki að synda - I can't swim, I do not know how to swim.
Ég get ekki synt - I know how to swim, but there is something preventing me at the moment (e.g. if someone had their leg in plaster, or something like that)

With your question about the horse, are you asking for permission to ride it? If so, it would be: "Má ég [and here I'm not quite sure what to say, because _ríða þessum hesti_ is sure to get some laughs...]

If it's more like you're offering to do something, you should probably use: "Á ég að...?" ("Should I...?").


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## Daniel20

Also, completely unrelated, but you will inevitably have problems with finding an equivalent of 'like'. I like this, he's like her, etc. This is a really good discussion of that.

Edit: 





Silver_Biscuit said:


> Compare: Ég kann ekki að synda - I can't swim, I do not know how to swim.
> Ég get ekki *synt *- I know how to swim, but there is something preventing me at the moment (e.g. if someone had their leg in plaster, or something like that)



Okay. I've ran into this before. Why does it use _synt _as opposed to _syndi_? I know you're right and that's how it's used; but an Icelander who tried to explain was not clear on this.


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## Silver_Biscuit

Daniel20 said:


> Okay. I've ran into this before. Why does it use _synt _as opposed to _syndi_? I know you're right and that's how it's used; but an Icelander who tried to explain was not clear on this.



I can't actually remember the English word for this form of the verb, but in Icelandic it's the _sagnbót_. You will see it on all the verb pages on bin.arnastofnun.is, our life-saving conjugation/declension site  _Syndi_ would just be the present (or the present subjunctive), which has no place in that sentence.

It's always the _sagnbót_ after _geta_. Think about it, we say "Ég get sagt/farið/verið" not "Ég get segi/fer/er".


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## Daniel20

And other auxiliary verbs? Hef, f.ex?


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## Silver_Biscuit

Yep, also after _hafa_. Sometimes after _skulu_, but only in formal writing (I wouldn't worry about that one just yet). Probably there are more examples, but I can't think of any off the top of my head.


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## LurkingFox

You're right I should have searched the forum before asking. But thank you all for your answers. 

On the "ride a horse" thing, I asked it on purpose because I know the problem with riða... But I still have no idea of how to ask this perfectly nonsexual question in Icelandic. I might do a separate topic of ask a friend.


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## Silver_Biscuit

Haha yeah, I know generally I would say "fara á hestbak", but when you're talking about riding a specific horse? I genuinely have no idea how to avoid embarrassment here.


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## LurkingFox

Maybe one should use fá in this instance. I'll ask around and if I get an answer I'll post it.


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