# Can



## Emanresu

I'm having trouble understanding what forms of "can" in Finnish I can use when for example:

Saanko Minä sen - Can I have that?

and

Voinco Minä auttua sinä - Can I help you?

If I were to mix it around would this make sense?

Voinco/Voitko Minä sen? - Can I have that?

My question is what situations are used for saanko and what situations can I use voinco for?


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## Hakro

Can = _voida_ is an auxiliary verb that always needs a main verb for the sentence.

You can say _Saanko minä sen_ but then the auxiliary "can" was not translated. The full translation would be _Voinko minä saada sen_.

_Saanko minä sen_ means rather "do I get it".

_Voinko minä sen_ is impossible because the main verb is missing.


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## jonquiliser

Hakro said:


> Can = _voida_ is an auxiliary verb that always needs a main verb for the sentence.
> 
> You can say _Saanko minä sen_ but then the auxiliary "can" was not translated. The full translation would be _Voinko minä saada sen_.
> 
> _Saanko minä sen_ means rather "do I get it".



Well but in English it's common to ask "Could/can I have that (please)" without inquiring about the _possibility_ of having it,  it's just a friendly way of asking. In Finnish it's not that uncommon to just ask "Saisinko sen?", is it?



> Voinco Minä auttua sinä - Can I help you?


Voinko (minä) autt*a*a sin*ua*? would be the correct way of saying it. _Sinua_ is the partitive case of _sinä_.


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## TarisWerewolf

To me, it all seems to revolve around an ambiguity with the english word "can". On the one hand, it means "to be able" and on the other it means "To be allowed" or "may". 

"Can I have it?" = "May I have it?"
but
"I can count to fifty" = "I am able to count to fifty".

Which would explain the different translations.


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