could

[forma debole kəd] [forma forte kʊd]

verbo modale

1) (expressing possibility)

it could be that... — potrebbe essere che

could be — colloq. forse

it could be a trap — potrebbe essere una trappola

the engine could explode — il motore potrebbe esplodere

you could have been electrocuted! — avresti potuto rimanere folgorato!

"did she know?" - "no, how could she?" — "lo sapeva?" - "no, come avrebbe potuto?"

who could it be? — chi potrebbe mai essere?

nothing could be simpler — non c'è niente di più semplice

2) (asking permission)

could I interrupt? — posso interromperla?

3) (making polite requests)

could I speak to John? — potrei parlare con John?

you couldn't come earlier, could you? — non potresti arrivare prima, vero?

4) (when making suggestions)

we could try and phone him — potremmo provare a telefonargli

couldn't they go camping instead? — non potrebbero invece andare in campeggio?

5) (having ability or power to)

if only we could stay — se solo potessimo restare

I wish I could have been there — avrei voluto essere lì

I wish I could go to Japan — mi piacerebbe andare in Giappone

6) (expressing likelihood, assumption)

he couldn't be more than 10 years old — non dovrebbe avere o non avrà più di 10 anni

7) (expressing willingness to act)

I couldn't leave the children — non potrei lasciare i bambini

8) (expressing a reproach)

they could have warned us — avrebbero potuto avvertirci

how could you! — come hai potuto!

9) (for emphasis)

I couldn't agree more! — d'accordissimo! sono completamente d'accordo!

you couldn't be more mistaken — ti sbagli di grosso

10) (expressing exasperation)

I could murder him! — colloq. l'ammazzerei!

11) (avoiding repetition of verb)

as excited as could be — eccitatissimo

••

Note:

Could is formally the past tense and the conditional of can. As the past tense of can, could is translated by the appropriate past tense in the indicative: I couldn't leave the children = non potevo lasciare i bambini / non potei lasciare i bambini; few people could read or write = poche persone sapevano leggere o scrivere; he couldn't sleep for weeks = non è riuscito a dormire per settimane; we could hear them laughing = li sentivamo ridere. When preceded by and dependent on a verb in the past tense, could + verb is translated by the past conditional of the appropriate Italian verb: I was sure you could do it = ero sicuro che saresti riuscito a farlo. In reported speech, could is translated by the appropriate past tense, according to the rules of Italian grammar (see the note 1.dire): she never told us she could speak Chinese = non ci ha mai detto che sapeva parlare il cinese. - For more examples, particular usages and all other uses of could see the entry below

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[kud]

negative short form - couldn't; verb

1) (past tense of can: They asked if I could drive a car; I said I couldn't; She asked if she could go.) potere

2) (used to express a possibility: I could go but I'm not going to; I could do it next week if you helped me.) potere

•

- could have

* * *

[forma debole kəd] [forma forte kʊd]

verbo modale

1) (expressing possibility)

it could be that... — potrebbe essere che

could be — colloq. forse

it could be a trap — potrebbe essere una trappola

the engine could explode — il motore potrebbe esplodere

you could have been electrocuted! — avresti potuto rimanere folgorato!

"did she know?" - "no, how could she?" — "lo sapeva?" - "no, come avrebbe potuto?"

who could it be? — chi potrebbe mai essere?

nothing could be simpler — non c'è niente di più semplice

2) (asking permission)

could I interrupt? — posso interromperla?

3) (making polite requests)

could I speak to John? — potrei parlare con John?

you couldn't come earlier, could you? — non potresti arrivare prima, vero?

4) (when making suggestions)

we could try and phone him — potremmo provare a telefonargli

couldn't they go camping instead? — non potrebbero invece andare in campeggio?

5) (having ability or power to)

if only we could stay — se solo potessimo restare

I wish I could have been there — avrei voluto essere lì

I wish I could go to Japan — mi piacerebbe andare in Giappone

6) (expressing likelihood, assumption)

he couldn't be more than 10 years old — non dovrebbe avere o non avrà più di 10 anni

7) (expressing willingness to act)

I couldn't leave the children — non potrei lasciare i bambini

8) (expressing a reproach)

they could have warned us — avrebbero potuto avvertirci

how could you! — come hai potuto!

9) (for emphasis)

I couldn't agree more! — d'accordissimo! sono completamente d'accordo!

you couldn't be more mistaken — ti sbagli di grosso

10) (expressing exasperation)

I could murder him! — colloq. l'ammazzerei!

11) (avoiding repetition of verb)

as excited as could be — eccitatissimo

••

Note:

Could is formally the past tense and the conditional of can. As the past tense of can, could is translated by the appropriate past tense in the indicative: I couldn't leave the children = non potevo lasciare i bambini / non potei lasciare i bambini; few people could read or write = poche persone sapevano leggere o scrivere; he couldn't sleep for weeks = non è riuscito a dormire per settimane; we could hear them laughing = li sentivamo ridere. When preceded by and dependent on a verb in the past tense, could + verb is translated by the past conditional of the appropriate Italian verb: I was sure you could do it = ero sicuro che saresti riuscito a farlo. In reported speech, could is translated by the appropriate past tense, according to the rules of Italian grammar (see the note 1.dire): she never told us she could speak Chinese = non ci ha mai detto che sapeva parlare il cinese. - For more examples, particular usages and all other uses of could see the entry below