Could - translation, pronunciation and examples
could
past or polite form of can
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When to use could
Не могли бы вы открыть окно, пожалуйста?
Она может закончить пораньше сегодня.
could usage examples
Не могли бы вы открыть окно, пожалуйста?
Could you open the window, please?
Она может закончить пораньше сегодня.
She could finish early today.
Similar words
same as the headword; past form or polite form of can
present/present-general ability or permission; more direct than could
expresses ability more explicitly than could; works in many tenses
used for permission or possibility; sounds more formal than can
used for weaker possibility or polite suggestion; less definite than could
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could belongs to the topic "Top 300". Start with a short 7-word set so the word is easier to remember in context.
could synonyms
What's the difference between could / can / be able to / may / might / couldn't
same as the headword; past form or polite form of can
Could you help me, please?
Не могли бы вы помочь мне, пожалуйста?
I can swim.
Я умею плавать.
She was able to finish on time.
Она смогла закончить вовремя.
You may leave now.
Вы можете идти сейчас.
It might rain later.
Позже может пойти дождь.
negative form of could; inability or impossibility in the past/polite context
I couldn't open the door.
Я не смог открыть дверь.
successful ability in the past; emphasizes that the action was completed
She was able to solve the problem.
Она смогла решить проблему.
means succeeded in doing something, often with effort or difficulty
He managed to catch the train.
Он успел на поезд.
past possibility or guess; weaker and less certain than could have
She might have forgotten.
Возможно, она забыла.
past possibility or speculation; similar to might have, often slightly more formal
They may have missed the bus.
Они, возможно, пропустили автобус.
What's the difference
More related word breakdowns
Short comparisons help you choose the right word by meaning, context, and typical examples.
bite vs chew vs sting vs nip: разница между bite, chew, sting и nip
Разница между bite, chew, sting и nip: когда bite значит кусать, chew жевать, sting жалить, а nip слегка укусить.
carry vs wear vs take vs bring: разница между carry, wear, take и bring
Разница между carry, wear, take и bring: когда carry значит нести, wear носить одежду, take брать с собой, а bring принести.
catch vs make vs take vs board: разница между catch, make, take и board
Разница между catch, make, take и board в теме транспорта: успеть на поезд, сесть на автобус или воспользоваться транспортом.
could with Russian translation
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| Pace | Per day | Per year | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 3 words | ≈ 1,100 words | starting without pressure |
| Balanced | 5 words | ≈ 1,800 words | steady growth |
| Recommended | 8 words | ≈ 2,900 words | around 3,000 words a year |
| Fast | 10 words | ≈ 3,650 words | visible vocabulary growth |
| Intensive | 15 words | ≈ 5,500 words | strong motivation |
Related words and lists for could
How to pronounce could and what this word means
could translation: мочь. This page includes translation, pronunciation, transcription, audio, usage examples and related words.
how to pronounce could
/kʊd/
could translation
мочь
could examples
Could you open the window, please?
could transcription
/kʊd/, /kʊd/
How this dictionary entry is reviewed
ZapomniEnglish prepares dictionary data automatically, then the editorial workflow checks high-frequency words, top lists, and pages that already receive search impressions first.
Questions about this word
could meaning: what does it mean?
past or polite form of can
could pronunciation: how do you pronounce it?
could is pronounced as /kʊd/. Audio is available on this page when the word has a recording.
could definition and sentence examples: how is it used in a sentence?
Could you open the window, please? Translation: Не могли бы вы открыть окно, пожалуйста?
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