Breakdown of No puc estudiar perquè hi ha soroll al carrer.
haver-hi
there be
a
in
el carrer
the street
perquè
because
Questions & Answers about No puc estudiar perquè hi ha soroll al carrer.
Why is it No puc?
Puc is the 1st person singular form of poder, which means to be able to / can.
- jo puc = I can
- no puc = I can’t
So No puc estudiar means I can’t study.
A few useful forms of poder in the present:
- jo puc = I can
- tu pots = you can
- ell/ella pot = he/she can
- nosaltres podem = we can
- vosaltres podeu = you all can
- ells/elles poden = they can
Why is it estudiar and not some form like estudio or estudiant?
After puc, Catalan uses the infinitive of the next verb.
So:
- puc estudiar = I can study
- puc menjar = I can eat
- puc dormir = I can sleep
This is similar to English can study, not can studying.
Also, unlike English to study, Catalan does not use a separate word for to here. So:
- puc estudiar = I can study
- not puc a estudiar