Canst Meaning in English
word · lemma: can
ˈkæn/, /kən
KANST or KUHNST
kˈænst
KANST
Definition
An old-fashioned, archaic way of saying 'can' (second person singular; 'you can'), used mainly in literature, poetry, or historical texts.
Usage & Nuances
Very formal, poetic, archaic; not used in modern spoken English. Found in Shakespeare, the Bible, and imitations of ancient speech. Used with 'thou' ('thou canst'). Never use in everyday conversation.
Spanish: puedes (arcaico) - puedes (tú, antiguo)Portuguese (BR): podes (arcaico) - podes (tu, antigo)Portuguese (PT): podes (arcaico) - podes (tu, antigo)Chinese (Simplified): （古体）能（你）Chinese (Traditional): （古體）能（你）Hindi: (पुरातन/काव्य) सकता है (तू)Arabic: تستطيع (قديم)Bengali: পারিস - পারো (তুই / তুমি) - পারতে (তুমি) (প্রাচীন ব্যবহারে)Russian: можешь (устаревшее, к 'ты')Japanese: できる（文語・古語、あなたが）Vietnamese: có thể (ngữ cổ, dành cho 'ngươi')Korean: 할 수 있다 (고어, 그대에게)Turkish: -ebilirsin (eski, 'sen' için)Urdu: سکتا ہے (پرانا انداز، تم کے لیے)Indonesian: dapat (bentuk kuno, untuk 'engkau')
Example Sentences
Canst thou help me with this task?
basic
Only you canst open this door.
basic
If thou canst, forgive my mistake.
basic
How canst thou say such things to me?
natural
Thou canst not hide the truth forever.
natural
Prove to me that thou canst be trusted.
natural