אני לא יכולה להיכנס לחדר עכשיו, כי יש פגישה.

I can't enter the room now, because there is a meeting.

Breakdown of אני לא יכולה להיכנס לחדר עכשיו, כי יש פגישה.

• אני: I
• יש: there is
• עכשיו: now
• לא: not

Questions & Answers about אני לא יכולה להיכנס לחדר עכשיו, כי יש פגישה.

Why is it יכולה and not יכול?

יכולה is the feminine singular form of can / be able to.

So:

• אני לא יכולה = I (female speaker) cannot
• אני לא יכול = I (male speaker) cannot

In Hebrew, even with אני (I), adjectives and some predicate words still change for gender.

Is יכולה actually a verb?

Not exactly in the same way English can is.

In this sentence, יכולה comes from יכול, which often behaves like an adjective or predicate meaning able. Hebrew expresses can as something like am able to.

So:

• אני יכולה להיכנס = literally, roughly I am able to enter
• English translates it naturally as I can enter

That is why יכולה changes for gender.

What does להיכנס mean, and why does it start with ל־?