# he was able to go out vs. he may have gone out



## Cynthia-Clare

Vorrei esprimere una differenxa fra 'he was able to go out' and 'he may have gone out'.

I miei tentativi sono 'Ha potuto uscire' e 'Può essere uscito'.

Sono giuste le mie traduzioni?

Ciao,
Cynthia-clare


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## macforever

È potuto uscire.
È possibile che sia uscito.
By the way, your second sentence is OK.


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## Dimaya

He may have gone out - Sarà uscito ("futuro anteriore" to express doubt or uncertainty relating to the past action)


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## Cynthia-Clare

Grazie per la risposta. E' molto utile.
Cynthia-clare


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## ALEX1981X

Cynthia-Clare said:


> Vorrei esprimere una differenxa fra 'he was able to go out' and 'he may have gone out'.
> 
> I miei tentativi sono 'Ha potuto uscire' e 'Può essere uscito'.
> 
> Sono giuste le mie traduzioni?
> 
> Ciao,
> Cynthia-clare



Scusate ragazzi ma secondo me "be able to " può avere anche 2 diversi significati in base al contesto...

Per me Was able to significa _*essere riuscito a fare qualcosa*_ o _*essere in grado di **farla *_nel senso di a_vere la capacità abilità di fare qualcosa_ !

Quindi secondo me "I was able to go out" può anche significare "Ero in grado di uscire (ma magari non l'ho fatto e sono rimasto a casa)...

cosi come può significare "Sono potuto uscire" (e sono uscito sul serio)

Cosa ne pensate ragazzi ??


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## lulll

Alex1981x ha ragione, "be able to" significa essere _in grado_ di fare qualcosa, averne la capacità/i mezzi. Però c'è anche da dire che in italiano noi non rendiamo quasi mai questa "possibilità" del fare qualcosa. Piuttosto diremmo "Sarei potuto uscire (ma magari non l'ho fatto).


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## Yulan

Ciao Alex , 

Sono d'accordo, "To be able to" esprime le stesse condizioni anche al presente (avere la capacità/facoltà di svolgere un'azione).  

Ciao!


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## ALEX1981X

Si ragazzi..io però dico anche che senza precisazioni può essere tradotto in Italiano con :* Potevo* (ero in grado) di uscire (MA NON L'HO FATTO ALLA FINE)

Siete d'accordo ragazzi ??


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## Yulan

Alex,

credo di avere detto la stessa cosa ... 
Per me, "He was able to go out" significa "Poteva uscire/Era in grado di uscire"

Forse intendi dire che non è concettualmente la stessa situazione che risulta nella versione in italiano di Cynthia:
"He was able to go out": "Ha potuto uscire"

Personalmente per tradurre "Ha potuto uscire" direi "He could go out", ma non sono madrelingua ...

Ciao!


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## johngiovanni

I would use the imperfect as Yulan has said: "Poteva uscire". Though I still have some problems with the appropriateness of tenses, I see this in the context of a continuing action/ state in the past. (I was able to go out today. In fact, I just did - I went out to do some shopping.) For me the first sentence in my example would use the imperfect.
As for "He may have gone out", I would tend to use this in, for example: "He may have gone out yesterday, but I am not sure." (E' possibile che sia uscito.)  As for "Sarà uscito" , I thought this meant:  "He will have gone out."  (By the time you arrive tomorrow, he will have already gone out."  (Is this right?)


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## ALEX1981X

johngiovanni said:


> I would use the imperfect as Yulan has said: "Poteva uscire". Though I still have some problems with the appropriateness of tenses, I see this in the context of a continuing action/ state in the past. (I was able to go out today. In fact, I just did - I went out to do some shopping.) For me the first sentence in my example would use the imperfect.
> As for "He may have gone out", I would tend to use this in, for example: "He may have gone out yesterday, but I am not sure." (E' possibile che sia uscito.)  As for "Sarà uscito" , I thought this meant:  "He will have gone out."  (By the time you arrive tomorrow, he will have already gone out."  (Is this right?)



John what I want to tell is that _*"I was able to do it*_" can be referred to 2 different situations depending on the context:

1)I was able to cut that tree,but I didn't because I didn't want to= Potevo tagliarlo (ero in grado,potevo riuscirci) ma non l'ho fatto perchè non ne avevo voglia

2)I was able to cut that tree although nobody believed me! = Sono riuscito/Sono stato in grado di tagliare l'albero...etc...(I really cut that tree)

Si percepisce la differenza ??


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## johngiovanni

Ciao, Alex!  Si, grazie, capisco!  (Though I confess, I am still a bit unsure, in the sense that I am thinking:  "Then you were always able to cut that tree - all that time when people refused to believe you.  Then you did cut the tree and proved them wrong.")  Do you see my problem?


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## Tunalagatta

ALEX1981X said:


> John what I want to tell is that _*"I was able to do it*_" can be referred to 2 different situations depending on the context:
> 
> 1)I was able to cut that tree,but I didn't because I didn't want to= Potevo tagliarlo (ero in grado,potevo riuscirci) ma non l'ho fatto perchè non ne avevo voglia
> 
> 2)I was able to cut that tree although nobody believed me! = Sono riuscito/Sono stato in grado di tagliare l'albero...etc...(I really cut that tree)
> 
> Si percepisce la differenza ??



Normally we use "be able to" to describe something that can be carried out and is actually completed. Referring to the past, I wouldn't say "I *was able to cut* that tree, but I didn't want to." (We can use it negatively to say that something wasn't completed - "I wasn't able to cut down the tree".)  

Instead, I'd say, "I *could have cut* down that tree, but I didn't want to." We use can/could more to describe either general or potential ability. I wouldn't say, "I could cut the tree down and everyone thought I was amazing." (and I really did cut the tree down). However, it would still be possible to say "I *couldn't cut *down the tree." It's the affirmative use that throws up more difficulty.


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## ALEX1981X

johngiovanni said:


> Ciao, Alex!  Si, grazie, capisco!  (Though I confess, I am still a bit unsure, in the sense that I am thinking:  "Then you were always able to cut that tree - all that time when people refused to believe you.  Then you did cut the tree and proved them wrong.")  Do you see my problem?



Yes that's what I wanted to convey...

John you think that the structure "was able to" can be interpreted in 2 ways depending on the context ??

Example: 

I was able to have a walk yesterday (but I didn't because it was raining)
I was able to have a walk yesterday morning and _* I did it*_,there was such a beautiful day

Does anybody follow my meaning ??


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## johngiovanni

I think both of your sentences make complete sense, but I am still unsure about the appropriate Italian tense for the "I was able to ..." - I would have instinctively used the imperfetto.


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## ALEX1981X

johngiovanni said:


> I think both of your sentences make complete sense, but I am still unsure about the appropriate Italian tense for the "I was able to ..." - I would have instinctively used the imperfetto.



Right John...infact in Italian the IMPERFETTO would be:

Ero in grado di uscire/ Potevo uscire ...or also Sono potuto uscire (and I did it)

There is a big difference between these 2 sentences


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## johngiovanni

Ciao, Alex! But "Sono uscito" means "I did it" in the sense of "I went out", and I would use the perfetto in that case. It's the "Sono potuto uscire" I'm having problems with.  Let me use another example: "Yesterday I was able to go out.  Actually, I did go out at three o'clock."  What would be your choice of tense for the first sentence?


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## ALEX1981X

Tunalagatta said:


> Normally we use "be able to" to describe something that can be carried out and is actually completed. Referring to the past, I wouldn't say "I *was able to cut* that tree, but I didn't want to." (We can use it negatively to say that something wasn't completed - "I wasn't able to cut down the tree".)
> 
> Instead, I'd say, "I *could have cut* down that tree, but I didn't want to." We use can/could more to describe either general or potential ability. I wouldn't say, "I could cut the tree down and everyone thought I was amazing." (and I really did cut the tree down).



I see 

So when we say _*I was able to*_ means automatically that a person really did and completed an action ???

Was able to = Sure you did it  
Wasn't able to = sure you didn't it at all/ not completed

Is that correct ??


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## Tunalagatta

ALEX1981X said:


> I see
> 
> So when we say _*I was able to*_ means automatically that a person really did and completed an action ???
> 
> Was able to = Sure you did it
> Wasn't able to = sure you didn't it at all/ not completed
> 
> Is that correct ??



Yes, that's it! So in these examples you gave,

I was able to have a walk yesterday (but I didn't because it was raining)

I would say _I could have had a walk but I didn't_ 

I was able to have a walk yesterday morning and _* I did it*_,there was such a beautiful day

And I wouldn't say _I could have a walk yesterday morning_, because it is a specific, one-off occasion, not a general thing ability.


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## johngiovanni

Sorry, Tunalagatta, but I do not agree that "I was able to have a walk yesterday, but I didn't because it was raining" is incorrect, though I do agree that your alternative sentence is correct. If I said to you: "Why didn't you do the shopping? Were you not able to go out yesterday?" and you replied: " "I was able to go out yesterday, but I didn't because it was raining" - I think that would be a perfectly good English answer.


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## Tunalagatta

johngiovanni said:


> Sorry, Tunalagatta, but I do not agree that "I was able to have a walk yesterday, but I didn't because it was raining" is incorrect, though I do agree that your alternative sentence is correct. If I said to you: "Why didn't you do the shopping? Were you not able to go out yesterday?" and you replied: " "I was able to go out yesterday, but I didn't because it was raining" - I think that would be a perfectly good English answer.



Well, perhaps it isn't incorrect exactly, but I personally () think "*I was able to* + infinitive" suggests that you definitely completed the action, whereas *"I could have* + past participle" means that you definitely didn't, but had the potential to.

It is different in the negative though: I think you could get away with saying both "*I wasn't able* to" and "*I couldn't*", for actions that you didn't complete because of inability.


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## Einstein

Senza voler cancellare tutti i discorsi su _essere in grado_, faccio presente che il verbo _can_ ha solo due forme: _can_ e _could_. Per tutti gli altri tempi si usa per forza _to be able_. Perciò, se vediamo _he will be able to do it_, la prima scelta dovrebbe essere una voce di _potere_, in questo caso _potrà farlo._

In generale nel passato si usa _could_ col significato dell'imperfetto:
*The doctor told him he could go out* - Il medico gli ha detto che poteva uscire (non si sa se poi è uscito o meno).
Invece _was able _si usa di più col significato di _ha potuto_:
*He couldn't swim (non sapeva nuotare), but his wife could (sapeva [nuotare]) and was able to reach the shore*. Qui sappiamo non solo che era possibile ma che l'ha anche fatto.

Praticamente quello che dice *Tunalagatta*.

Ci saranno eccezioni, ma se vogliamo insistere su _in grado_, _he was able_ vuol dire probabilmente _fu in grado_, piuttosto che _era in grado_.

Nel negativo c'è poca differenza fra _couldn't_ e _wasn't able_.


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## johngiovanni

I have a different "feel" about this when I use the expression "I succeeded in doing x".  People thought I couldn't/ wasn't able to do it but yesterday I succeeded in doing it."  (I was able to do it, therefore.)  In that case, I would see the "succeeded in" as a completed action.)  "Riuscire" has that "feel" for me.  Anyway, thank you.  As I get to know more Italian, perhaps things will become clearer.


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## cecil

ALEX1981X said:


> Yes that's what I wanted to convey...
> 
> John you think that the structure "was able to" can be interpreted in 2 ways depending on the context ??
> 
> Example:
> 
> I was able to have a walk yesterday (but I didn't because it was raining)
> I was able to have a walk yesterday morning and _*I did it*_,there was such a beautiful day
> 
> Does anybody follow my meaning ??


 
I find the first sentence very strange. If we meant sentence one, we'd say, "I could have walked yesterday but for the rain." or "I didn't walk yesterday because of the rain."


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## johngiovanni

Ciao, Cecil!  This is getting difficult for me at the moment.  In my previous example, I think it might be about choice.  I was able to go, but I chose not to.  The possibility was always thee, I grant you that, but it was raining, so I chose not to go shopping.  (We've had a good discussion, but I feel honestly that I will need to learn a lot more Italian before I can say much more on this subject. I am just a beginner.)  It has been inteesting.
Regards,


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## johngiovanni

Tunalagatta said:


> Well, perhaps it isn't incorrect exactly, but I personally () think "*I was able to* + infinitive" suggests that you definitely completed the action, whereas *"I could have* + past participle" means that you definitely didn't, but had the potential to.
> 
> It is different in the negative though: I think you could get away with saying both "*I wasn't able* to" and "*I couldn't*", for actions that you didn't complete because of inability.


 Please see my other reply.  Is it just about my ability to go out, or about my choice to go out or not? (I was able to go, but I chose not to.)

Regards to you.


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## cecil

>>I feel honestly that I will need to learn a lot more Italian before I can say much more on this subject. I am just a beginner.)

Anch'io sono un principiante, il che dev'essere evidente a tutti. Va bene se non siamo sempre d'accordo.


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## Angiem

He was able to go out significa:  è potuto uscire nel senso "ce l'ha fatta ad uscire", "è riuscito ad andare fuori"
he may have gone out significa invece "può essere uscito" nel senso "è probabile che sia uscito" (es. vedo che la luce nella sua camera è spenta, può darsi che sia uscito).
Sono proprio due significati diversi


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## Angiem

He was able to go out significa: è potuto uscire nel senso "ce l'ha fatta ad uscire", "è riuscito ad andare fuori"
he may have gone out significa invece "può essere uscito" nel senso "è probabile che sia uscito" (es. vedo che la luce nella sua camera è spenta, può darsi che sia uscito).
Sono proprio due significati diversi


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## Tunalagatta

johngiovanni said:


> Please see my other reply.  Is it just about my ability to go out, or about my choice to go out or not? (I was able to go, but I chose not to.)
> 
> Regards to you.



Sorry for the late reply, John! 

It's tricky, isn't it? 

I think there is a big difference between the 2 examples given of 1) being able to go out and 2) being able to cut down a tree (as suggested by Alex). 

For 2), I think it is wrong to say, "I was able to cut down the tree but I didn't". Cutting down a tree is a single action, and the focus is on ability rather than potential. The ability was not proven so you can't say "I was able".

For 1), perhaps you could say "I was able to go out but I didn't", because it is more about potential than ability, and it could refer to a whole day, not a single moment in time. However I would still say either "I could have gone out" or "I _would have been able to_ go out if I'd wanted, but I didn't", because it didn't actually happen. To me, "was able to" seems to suggest actively overcoming some kind of obstacle. It is synonymous with "I managed to" in a lot of cases. 

That is how I personally see it anyway, if I have to analyse it. Spoken English is a lot different. And if I really don't have the ability to think about this kind of thing in Italian, either! 

Regards


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