Breakdown of Mein Bruder kann jetzt Klavier spielen.
spielen
to play
jetzt
now
mein
my
der Bruder
the brother
können
can / to be able to
das Klavier
the piano
Questions & Answers about Mein Bruder kann jetzt Klavier spielen.
Why is the verb kann and not könnt?
kann is the 'he/she/it' form of the modal verb können (to be able to). Modal verbs in German are irregular: their vowel often changes in the singular forms (here from ö to a), and the 'he/she/it' form does not get the usual -t ending. Since Mein Bruder equals 'he', we use kann.
Why is spielen at the very end of the sentence?
This is the classic sentence bracket (Satzklammer). When you use a modal verb, the conjugated modal verb takes the second position in the sentence (kann), and the main action verb gets pushed to the very end in its original dictionary form (spielen). Everything else gets hugged in the middle!
Why is there no word for 'the' before Klavier?
In German, when you talk about the general ability to play a musical instrument, you usually leave out the article. You just say Klavier spielen, which matches how we can say 'play piano' in English.
Could I put jetzt at the beginning of the sentence?
Yes! You can say Jetzt kann mein Bruder Klavier spielen. Just remember that the conjugated verb (kann) must always stay in the second position. If jetzt takes the first spot, the subject (mein Bruder) has to move to the third spot, right after the verb.
Learn Mein Bruder kann jetzt Klavier spielen and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free