can VS will be able to

[panicmonger]

I will be able to speak French at the end of this course. (I feel less confident)

I can speak French at the end of this course. (I have confidence & the future is based on the current circumstances & there is a great possibility that I can speak French later, so can I use "can" instead of "will be able to"?)

wholehearted gratefulness.

 

[bhaisahab]

I will be able to speak French at the end of this course. (I feel less confident)

I can speak French at the end of this course. (I have confidence & the future is based on the current circumstances & there is a great possibility that I can speak French later, so can I use "can" instead of "will be able to"?)

wholehearted gratefulness.

"I will be able to speak French at the end of this course" expresses absolute confidence. No, you can't use "I can be able to..."

 

[2006]

"I will be able to speak French at the end of this course" expresses absolute confidence. No, you can't use "I can be able to..."

I don't think panicmonger is asking about 'can be able to'. He wants to know if he can say 'I can speak French at the end of this course.'

 

[Rover_KE]

The answer is still no.

Rover

 

[panicmonger]

The answer is still no.

Rover

If you will allow me, May I know the reason why "can" cannot be used in this context even if I have very much confidence and my French test results are excellent so according to the current trend, there is a very certainty that I can speak French at the end of this course.

 

[Rover_KE]

Can is a defective verb;

In linguistics, a defective verb is a verb with an incomplete conjugation. Defective verbs cannot be conjugated in certain tenses, aspects, or moods.

(Wikipedia)

It has no infinitive and is only used in the present tense.

Rover

 

[5jj]

Can is a defective verb;

(Wikipedia)

It has no infinitive and is only used in the present tense.

Rover

Yes, but when it implies the idea of possibility or opportunity, rather than innate or learned ability, it can be used to refer to the future:

I can see you at 4.30 tomorrow.

 

[2006]

Yes, but when it implies the idea of possibility or opportunity, rather than innate or learned ability, it can be used to refer to the future:

I can see you at 4.30 tomorrow.

One could say that although the appointment is tomorrow, "can" refers to the present. The speaker is expressing (her)(his) present ability to do something tomorrow.
Maybe an hour ago (s)he couldn't see you tomorrow, but now (s)he can.

 

[5jj]

One could say that although the appointment is tomorrow, "can" refers to the present. The speaker is expressing (her)(his) present ability to do something tomorrow.
Maybe an hour ago (s)he couldn't see you tomorrow, but now (s)he can.

Yes.

But note that could itself can also be used with present idea (distanced for likelihood).

I could see you tommorow.

The possibility is more remote than with:

I can see you tomorrow.

 

[philadelphia]

Not a teacher.

Yes, but when it implies the idea of possibility or opportunity, rather than innate or learned ability, it can be used to refer to the future:

I can see you at 4.30 tomorrow.

I agree with you. To make it clearer, one may rewrite it as follows: "[I strongly believe in myself] I can speak French at the end of that course." However, my thought went for "will be able to" at first.

 

[2006]

Not a teacher.



I agree with you. To make it clearer, one may rewrite it as follows: "[I strongly believe in myself] I can speak French at the end of that course." However, my thought went for "will be able to" at first.

I think you misunderstood what people are saying. No one agrees that one can say 'I can speak French at the end of this course.'

 

[panicmonger]

If you would allow me, I have another example.

She can win the race tomorrow if she really tries.

For the above, my first thought is using "can".
Is it natural to English natives?
Thank you.

 

[2006]

If you would allow me, I have another example.

She can win the race tomorrow if she really tries. :tick:
For the above, my first thought is using "can".
Is it natural to English natives? yes

Thank you.

2006

 

[philadelphia]

I think you misunderstood what people are saying. No one agrees that one can say 'I can speak French at the end of this course.'

"I think I can come over after that course". Does it sound correct to you? Yes, it does to me. If you find that one correct, then I can't figure out why the other would be uncorrect.

 

[bhaisahab]

"I think I can come over after that course". Does it sound correct to you? Yes, it does to me. If you find that one correct, then I can't figure out why the other would be uncorrect.

In French, you would say "Je serais capable de parler français a la fin de ce cours", not "Je peut parler...".

 

[Raymott]

"I think I can come over after that course". Does it sound correct to you? Yes, it does to me. If you find that one correct, then I can't figure out why the other would be uncorrect.

It's not a matter of grammar. It's semantics. You can't say "I can do something in the future" if you can't do it now.
"I can speak French at the lecture next month, if all the guests will be French." This is only possible if you can speak French now or if you have time to brush up within that month.
There is an obvious difference between the meaning of "can" in the original sentence and this one. "Can" meaning "know how to" is not the meaning here.
When you say, "I can come over later", you are not asserting that you know how to come over.
When you say, "I can't call you until tomorrow", you're not saying you won't know how to use the phone until tomorrow.

 

[panicmonger]

"I think I can come over after that course". Does it sound correct to you? Yes, it does to me. If you find that one correct, then I can't figure out why the other would be uncorrect.

Maybe, your "come over" is "come across" = "to be understood"

 

[philadelphia]

First, thank you for your replies.

In French, you would say "Je serais capable de parler français a la fin de ce cours", not "Je peut parler...".

« Je serai capable de parler français à la fin de ce cours », not « Je peux parler […] ». I see you piked up some French during your stay. As said earlier, my first thought went for I will be able to. "Will" implies more a will to speak French while "can" implies more a capacity to speak French. Accordingly, I’d say that "can" could work but "will be able" would be my first choice if I were to pick up one.

It's not a matter of grammar. It's semantics. You can't say "I can do something in the future" if you can't do it now.
"I can speak French at the lecture next month, if all the guests will be French." This is only possible if you can speak French now or if you have time to brush up within that month.
There is an obvious difference between the meaning of "can" in the original sentence and this one. "Can" meaning "know how to" is not the meaning here.
When you say, "I can come over later", you are not asserting that you know how to come over.
When you say, "I can't call you until tomorrow", you're not saying you won't know how to use the phone until tomorrow.

Right enough. Still, if that course enabled him/her to speak French, wouldn’t it change anything? So s/he can speak French at the end of that course.
　

Maybe, your "come over" is "come across" = "to be understood"

No, it isn’t. 　
　
　

 

[bhaisahab]

First, thank you for your replies.




« Je serai capable de parler français à la fin de ce cours », not « Je peux parler […] ». I see you piked up some French during your stay. As said earlier, my first thought went for I will be able to. "Will" implies more a will to speak French while "can" implies more a capacity to speak French. Accordingly, I’d say that "can" could work but "will be able" would be my first choice if I were to pick up one.



Right enough. Still, if that course enabled him/her to speak French, wouldn’t it change anything? So s/he can speak French at the end of that course.
　


No, it isn’t. 　
　
　

« Je serai capable de parler français à la fin de ce cours », not « Je peux parler […] ». I see you piked up some French during your stay. As said earlier, my first thought went for I will be able to. "Will" implies more a will to speak French while "can" implies more a capacity to speak French. Accordingly, I’d say that "can" could work but "will be able" would be my first choice if I were to pick up one.
Thanks for your corrections, I always make those mistakes.
The point is though, that you wouldn't say "Je peux parler français à la fin de ce cours" in French, so why would you want to say it in English?

 

[philadelphia]

Thanks for your corrections, I always make those mistakes.
The point is though, that you wouldn't say "Je peux parler français à la fin de ce cours" in French, so why would you want to say it in English?

:up:Agreed. Dunno why but I feel it might be different in English. I think I'd better cut the stuff and have deeper thoughts.

BTW, don't feel embarrassed, some French keep making those mistakes -not talking about offsprings and teenagers only.