Questions & Answers about Kannt þú að nota þetta forrit?
What does kannt mean here?
Kannt is the 2nd person singular present form of the verb kunna.
In this sentence, kunna means to know how to do something or to be able to do something because you have learned it.
So Kannt þú að nota þetta forrit? is asking whether you know how to use this program.
A useful comparison:
- kunna = know how, have learned the skill
- geta = be able to, can, be capable of
So this sentence is closer to Do you know how to use this program? than to a general Can you use this program?
Why is it kannt þú and not þú kannt?
Because this is a yes/no question.
In Icelandic, the finite verb usually comes first in direct yes/no questions, and the subject comes after it.
Compare:
- Þú kannt að nota þetta forrit. = You know how to use this program.
- Kannt þú að nota þetta forrit? = Do you know how to use this program?
So the word order changes just like English changes from:
- You can use it.
- Can you use it?
Why is it kannt with -t?