Breakdown of Nein, ich kann leider nicht mitkommen.
ich
I
nein
no
nicht
not
leider
unfortunately
können
can / to be able to
mitkommen
to come along
Questions & Answers about Nein, ich kann leider nicht mitkommen.
Why is the verb mitkommen all the way at the end of the sentence?
Because this sentence uses the modal verb kann (can). Just like with wollen (to want) that you are practicing, the conjugated modal verb takes the second position, and the main action verb (mitkommen) is pushed to the very end in its full, unchanged dictionary form.
I thought mitkommen was a separable verb. Why isn't the mit separated here?
When a separable verb is used with a modal verb like können or wollen, it does not split! The modal verb pushes the entire, combined word to the end of the sentence. You only split it if it is the main, conjugated verb in the sentence (like in Ich komme mit).
Why does leider come before nicht here?
In German, adverbs that express an opinion about the whole situation, like leider (unfortunately), typically come before the word nicht. You can think of it just like the English phrase 'unfortunately not' to help remember the order.
The current lesson is about wollen (to want). Why does this sentence use kann (can) instead?
This is a natural response to a question using wollen! If someone asks about your intention (Willst du mitkommen? - Do you want to come along?), you might reply that you cannot. Both können (to be able to) and wollen are modal verbs, so they behave exactly the same way in a sentence.
Learn Nein, ich kann leider nicht mitkommen 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