Breakdown of Das Wort hat sich schnell verbreiten können.
schnell
fast, quickly
haben
to have
können
can / to be able to
das Wort
the word
sich verbreiten
to spread
Questions & Answers about Das Wort hat sich schnell verbreiten können.
Why does this sentence use können at the end instead of the past participle gekonnt?
When a modal verb like können is used in the perfect tense along with another main verb, German uses the infinitive form instead of the past participle. This is known as the double infinitive rule.
How does the word order work with these two infinitives?
In a regular main clause like this one, the conjugated helping verb hat takes the standard second position. The two infinitives (verbreiten können) are pushed together to the very end of the sentence. The action verb (verbreiten) comes first, immediately followed by the modal verb (können).
Why is the word sich included here?
The verb sich verbreiten is reflexive in German when it means to spread, such as news, a rumor, or a word spreading. Literally, the sentence is saying that the word was able to spread itself quickly.
Is there a more common way to say this in the past tense?
Yes! Because the double infinitive structure can feel a bit bulky, German speakers very often prefer to use the simple past tense (Präteritum) when dealing with modal verbs. A much more common and natural way to say this would be: Das Wort konnte sich schnell verbreiten.
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