Breakdown of Weißt du, ob man die App schon herunterladen kann?
du
you (informal singular)
können
can / to be able to
schon
already
wissen
to know (a fact)
man
one / you (impersonal)
ob
whether / if
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
die App
the app
herunterladen
to download
Questions & Answers about Weißt du, ob man die App schon herunterladen kann?
Why do we use ob here instead of wenn for "if"?
In English, we use "if" for both conditions and yes/no options. In German, ob specifically means "whether" (a yes/no situation). Since you are asking "whether or not" one can download the app, you must use ob. Wenn is only used for conditions (if X happens) or time (whenever).
Why is the verb kann at the very end of the sentence?
The word ob introduces a subordinate clause. In German, these types of clauses kick the conjugated verb to the very end of the sentence. Here, the conjugated modal verb is kann, so it moves all the way to the back.
Why is the verb herunterladen not separated here?
Herunterladen (to download) is a separable verb, but it stays in one piece here because of the modal verb kann. When a modal verb is used in a clause, the other main verb stays in its full infinitive (dictionary) form.
Why do we use weißt instead of kennst for "do you know"?
German has two verbs for "to know". Wissen (used here as weißt) is used for knowing facts or having information. Kennen is used when you are familiar with a person, place, or noun. Since you are asking about a fact, wissen is the correct choice.
What does man mean in this sentence?
Man is an impersonal pronoun meaning "one", "people in general", or a generic "you" or "they". It is always conjugated in the third-person singular, just like er, sie, or es.
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