Breakdown of Ich kann gut im Kopf rechnen.
ich
I
gut
good / well
in
in
können
can / to be able to
der Kopf
the head
rechnen
to do arithmetic, to reckon
Questions & Answers about Ich kann gut im Kopf rechnen.
Why does it say im Kopf instead of in meinem Kopf?
In German, it is very common to use the definite article (here, dem contracted with in to form im) instead of a possessive pronoun when referring to body parts. Because the subject is Ich, it is already obvious whose head is doing the calculating!
Since this lesson is about fractions, is rechnen the verb I use for doing math with them?
Exactly! The verb rechnen means to do arithmetic or calculate. Whether you are adding whole numbers or working with fractions (Bruchzahlen), you use rechnen. Don't confuse it with zählen, which just means to count (1, 2, 3).
Why does gut come before im Kopf in this sentence?
This follows the general German word order rule for adverbs, often referred to by the acronym Te-Ka-Mo-Lo (Time, Cause, Manner, Place). Expressions of manner (how you do it, like gut) typically come before expressions of place (where you do it, like im Kopf).
Just as a refresher, why is rechnen at the very end of the sentence?
This happens because of the modal verb kann. The conjugated modal verb takes the second position in the sentence, which forces the main verb (rechnen) in its infinitive (dictionary) form to the very end, creating a standard sentence bracket.
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