What is the difference between geta, kunna, and mega? They can all translate as can, so it's little wonder this trio causes some confusion. Let's clear this up!
Basically, it works like this:
Geta is the quintessential Icelandic translation of can. It means can in the sense of being able to do something.
In case you’re wondering about the verb form that follows geta (tuggið, unnið, and verið in the above examples), wonder no more: it’s the supine, which you can always find on BIN.
Kunna means can in the sense of having the skill to do something or having the knowledge to do it. It can also frequently translate as know, in the sense of knowing how to do something (which is very similar to having the skill to do something, isn’t it?).
Learners frequently confuse kunna and geta, so let’s take a closer look at that difference.
Think about playing the guitar: it takes years of practice to attain mastery of it, and we say you can play the guitar because you have the requisite skill to play it. If you break a finger or two (maybe you got into trouble with the Guitar Mafia or something) you don’t lose your skill or knowledge; only your ability to play.
Did you ever ask your English teacher if you could go to the bathroom, only to have them snidely ask you back “I don’t know – can you?” Man, pedants suck. You’d think an English teacher would be aware that can has been used in the deontic permission-sense since the late 1800s. That’s the kind of thing elementary school English teachers know, right?
If you tried that in Icelandic, the snarky teacher would actually be correct. Mega means can in the sense of having permission to do something, may.
Geta is the quintessential translation for can, and means to be able to.
Kunna translates as can in the sense of having the skill or knowledge to.
Mega translates as may or can in the sense of having permission to.
As a side note, the noun can translates as dós. That’s not really all that relevant, but it’s good to know!
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