No puc mirar el correu perquè la pantalla no s'encén.

I cannot check the mail because the screen does not turn on.

Breakdown of No puc mirar el correu perquè la pantalla no s'encén.

• no: not
• perquè: because
• poder: to be able to
• el correu: the mail

Questions & Answers about No puc mirar el correu perquè la pantalla no s'encén.

Why is it No puc? What is puc?

Puc is the 1st person singular form of poder, which means to be able to / can.

So:

• poder = to be able to
• puc = I can

That means No puc = I can’t.

A few related forms:

• puc = I can
• pots = you can
• pot = he/she/it can

Why is mirar in the infinitive?

After a modal verb like poder (can / to be able to), Catalan usually uses another verb in the infinitive.

So:

• puc mirar = I can look at / check
• literally: I can look

This works much like English:

• I can look
• I can read
• I can go

In Catalan:

• puc mirar
• puc llegir
• puc anar

Why is there no jo in the sentence?