Voer een woord of zin in in een taal naar keuze 👆
Taal:
Vertaling en analyse van woorden door kunstmatige intelligentie ChatGPT
Op deze pagina kunt u een gedetailleerde analyse krijgen van een woord of zin, geproduceerd met behulp van de beste kunstmatige intelligentietechnologie tot nu toe:
- hoe het woord wordt gebruikt
- gebruiksfrequentie
- het wordt vaker gebruikt in mondelinge of schriftelijke toespraken
- opties voor woordvertaling
- Gebruiksvoorbeelden (meerdere zinnen met vertaling)
- etymologie
Wat (wie) is could - definitie
UNINFLECTED VERBS IN ENGLISH
Can't; Couldn't; Shouldn't; Wouldn't; Won't; Would; Should; Needn't; Wouldest; Could; Modal stacking; Canst; Double modal; Shan't; Might could; English modal auxiliary verb; Can (verb); Semi-modal; Cannot; Modal verbs in English; English modal verb; Mustn't; Daren't; Mayn't; Mightn't; Ought to; Oughta; Oughtn't; Had better; Hadn't better; Have to; Has to; Had to; Double modals; Shoud; Had To
.svg?width=200)
could
v. (F) he could not attend the meeting
could
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: 'Could' is a modal verb. It is used with the base form of a verb. 'Could' is sometimes considered to be the past form of 'can', but in this dictionary the two words are dealt with separately.
1.
You use could to indicate that someone had the ability to do something. You use could not or couldn't to say that someone was unable to do something.
For my return journey, I felt I could afford the extra and travel first class...
I could see that something was terribly wrong...
When I left school at 16, I couldn't read or write...
There was no way she could have coped with a baby around.
MODAL
2.
You use could to indicate that something sometimes happened.
Though he had a temper and could be nasty, it never lasted...
He could be very pleasant when he wanted to.
MODAL
3.
You use could have to indicate that something was a possibility in the past, although it did not actually happen.
He could have made a fortune as a lawyer...
He did not regret saying what he did but felt that he could have expressed it differently.
MODAL
4.
You use could to indicate that something is possibly true, or that it may possibly happen.
Doctors told him the disease could have been caused by years of working in smokey clubs...
An improvement in living standards could be years away...
= might
MODAL
5.
You use could not or couldn't to indicate that it is not possible that something is true.
Anne couldn't be expected to understand the situation...
He couldn't have been more than fourteen years old.
MODAL
6.
You use could to talk about a possibility, ability, or opportunity that depends on other conditions.
Their hope was that a new and better East Germany could be born...
I knew that if I spoke to Myra, I could get her to call my father.
MODAL
7.
You use could when you are saying that one thing or situation resembles another.
The charming characters she draws look like they could have walked out of the 1920s.
MODAL
8.
You use could, or couldn't in questions, when you are making offers and suggestions.
I could call the local doctor...
You could look for a career abroad where environmental jobs are better paid and more secure...
It would be a good idea if you could do this exercise twice or three times on separate days.
MODAL
9.
You use could in questions when you are making a polite request or asking for permission to do something. Speakers sometimes use couldn't instead of 'could' to show that they realize that their request may be refused.
Could I stay tonight?...
Could I speak to you in private a moment, John?...
He asked if he could have a cup of coffee...
Couldn't I watch you do it?
MODAL [politeness]
10.
People sometimes use structures with if I could or could I as polite ways of interrupting someone or of introducing what they are going to say next. (FORMAL, SPOKEN)
Well, if I could just interject...
Could I ask you if there have been any further problems?...
First of all, could I begin with an apology for a mistake I made last week?
= may
MODAL [politeness]
11.
You use could to say emphatically that someone ought to do the thing mentioned, especially when you are annoyed because they have not done it. You use why couldn't in questions to express your surprise or annoyance that someone has not done something.
We've come to see you, so you could at least stand and greet us properly...
Idiot! You could have told me!...
He could have written...
Why couldn't she have said something?...
MODAL [emphasis]
12.
You use could when you are expressing strong feelings about something by saying that you feel as if you want to do the thing mentioned, although you do not do it.
'Welcome back' was all they said. I could have kissed them!...
She could have screamed with tension.
MODAL [emphasis]
13.
You use could after 'if' when talking about something that you do not have the ability or opportunity to do, but which you are imagining in order to consider what the likely consequences might be.
If I could afford it I'd have four television sets...
If only I could get some sleep, I would be able to cope.
MODAL
14.
You use could not or couldn't with comparatives to emphasize that someone or something has as much as is possible of a particular quality. For example, if you say 'I couldn't be happier', you mean that you are extremely happy.
The rest of the players are a great bunch of lads and I couldn't be happier...
The news couldn't have come at a better time.
MODAL [emphasis]
15.
In speech, you use how could in questions to emphasize that you feel strongly about something bad that has happened.
How could you allow him to do something like that?...
How could she do this to me?...
MODAL [emphasis]
16.
Could
·Impf of Can.
II. Could ·Impf Was, should be, or would be, able, capable, or susceptible. Used as an auxiliary, in the past tense or in the conditional present.
Wikipedia
English modal verbs
.svg?width=120)
The English modal verbs are a subset of the English auxiliary verbs used mostly to express modality (properties such as possibility, obligation, etc.). They can be distinguished from other verbs by their defectiveness (they do not have participle or infinitive forms) and by their neutralization (that they do not take the ending -(e)s in the third-person singular).
The principal English modal verbs are can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, and must. Certain other verbs are sometimes classed as modals; these include ought, had better, and (in certain uses) dare and need. Verbs which share only some of the characteristics of the principal modals are sometimes called "quasi-modals", "semi-modals", or "pseudo-modals".
Voorbeelden uit tekstcorpus voor could
1. Could not tell their letters when admitted, 57; could spell only, 78; could read imperfectly, 75; could read, 28; could read and write, 63; 301.
2. "There are so many things that could go wrong—somebody could slip, somebody could fall, I could fall.
3. Both measures could be approved, both could lose, or one could prevail but not the other.
4. "I could I could not believe what I could see," he added.
5. He could act, he could sing, he could play musical instruments.