could

aux.v., Past tense of, can¹.

1. Used to indicate ability or permission in the past: I could run faster then. Only men could go to the club in those days.
2. Used with hypothetical or conditional force: If we could help, we would.
3. Used to indicate tentativeness or politeness: I could be wrong. Could you come over here?

IN BRIEF: To be able to, in the past.

I could never love where I could not respect. — Charlotte Elizabeth Aisse, (1694-1733,) Circassian slave girl bought by French ambassador, educated in Paris.

Tutor's tip: When I was little, I could (past tense of can) watch the cows chew their cud (food that cows return to their mouths from their stomachs to be rechewed) all day.

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has one meaning:

Meaning #1: expresses possibility
  Synonym: might

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Common misspelling(s) of could

• coudl
• sould

Dansk (Danish)
aux. v. - kunne

idioms:

• could do with    kunne trænge til

Nederlands (Dutch)
kon(den), mocht(en), zou(den) kunnen

Français (French)
aux. v. - être possible, pouvoir

idioms:

• could do with    pouvoir faire grâce/avec

Deutsch (German)
aux. v. - möglich sein, können

idioms:

• could do with    gebrauchen können

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - μπορούσα, μπόρεσα, θα μπορούσα

idioms:

• could do with    δεν θα είχα αντίρρηση για

Italiano (Italian)
condizionale di "can", potrebbe

idioms:

• could do with    basterebbe, cavarsela con

Português (Portuguese)
v. - podia

idioms:

• could do with    podia passar com

Русский (Russian)
мог, умел

idioms:

• could do with    нуждаться в

Español (Spanish)
aux. v. - ser posible, poder ser, podría ser, puede ser

idioms:

• could do with    vendría bien...

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - kunde, skulle, orkade

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
can的过去式, 可能, 能, 可以

idioms:

• could do with    想要...

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
aux. v. - can的過去式, 可能, 能, 可以

idioms:

• could do with    想要...

한국어 (Korean)
aux. v. - can의 과거형, 할 수가 있었다, 할 수 있었을 텐데

idioms:

• could do with    ~을 필요로 하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v.aux. - …することができた, …のことがあった, …できるなら, …できたなら, …できるだろう, …できればいいなあ, …できただろう, …だったかもしれない, …だったはずがない

idioms:

• could do with    欲しい

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) الفعل الماضي للفعل can , يستطيع, هل من الممكن ?, تسمح ?‏

עברית (Hebrew)
aux. v. - ‮היה יכול, יכול‬

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