can or could watch a film

[Kontol]

I'm a little bit counfused about the choice of "can" or "could" here. If It shows a certainty, is "can" used? I'm sure I will go. If it shows a doubt, is "could" used? I'm not sure I go.

What shall we do tonight?

We can watch a film if you like, or just go for a drink.
We could watch a film if you like, or just go for a drink.

 

[tedmc]

I would use can, which implies possibility. You are looking at the various possibilities of the things you can do before making a decision.

Could, which means are likely to, is not appropriate in the context.

 

[Rover_KE]

They’re both OK. I‘d say ‘could’.

 

[Kontol]

Could you tell me what the difference between them is?

 

[Rover_KE]

To me, there's no effective difference—the person who asked the question will choose one (or neither) of the proposed options.

 

[5jj]

Could, which means are likely to,

It doesn't.

Could you tell me what the difference between them is?

'Could' presents the possibility of the actions happening as more remote/hypothetical than 'can'. Like Rover, I don't see the difference in meaning in your two sentences as being particulalrly significant.

 

[Kontol]

My English grammar book says "could" suggests a less definite possibility. Does it mean the speaker is less definite they will go to watch a film? Use "can" the speaker is sure to go to see a film.

 

[5jj]

The speaker is not at all 'definite' in either sentence. They are simply mentioning possible actions.

 

[Kontol]

Well, could you explain more clearly what you mean by "could' more remote/hypothetical than 'can'?

 

[5jj]

Bill: Fancy going out for a beer?
Ben: Yes. Where shall we go?
Bill: We can go to The Dirty Duck; it's only two minutes away. Or we could try that new place that's just opened on the other side of town.

That suggests to me that Bill is thinking of the possibility of goiing to The Dirty Duck as more likely than that of going to the new place. That second possibility is more remote/distant/hypothetical.

 

[probus]

This may be a BrE AmE difference. Some people on the western side of the big pond use "could" as a weaker form of "can". In parts of the US you'll hear "I might could" for "maybe I can" or "maybe I will." What do you think @SoothingDave?

 

[SoothingDave]

"Might could" is southern US and I am not used to it or clear on its nuances.

Of the original two sentences, I would use "could."

"Could" implies a conditionality. We could do this, or we could do something else.

"Can" implies permission (or ability).

 

[probus]

Thanks Dave. @Tarheel?

 

[5jj]

"Can" implies permission (or ability).

Sometimes.

The buses run till midnight, so we can go to the pub. - ability
My father says I can go to the pub if you'll bring me home. - permission
We can go to the pub, or we can stay in and watch TV. - possibility

 

[Kontol]

Could" implies a conditionality. We could do this, or we could do something else.

Could you tell me where the conditional is?

War could break out any day.
It could rain later on this evening.

Are these two sentence conditional?

 

[5jj]

Are these two sentence conditional?

No.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Possibility" is better word for me to have used than "conditionality."

 

[Tarheel]

I never thought about it before, but I guess I agree with @SoothingDave more than anybody else.