cannot
gb/kænˈɑt/ us/kænˈɑt/
A1
Αγγλικά
Σημασίες
0 σημασίες
modal_verb
A1
state
1
not able to do something
It means “not able to.”
Μοτίβο χρήσης:
[someone] cannot [do something]
Συχνό λάθος:
In modern English, it is usually written as one word (cannot). The form “can not” is uncommon and usually used only for emphasis.
Συνώνυμα
be unable to (More formal and used like a normal verb phrase.)
|
can't (The common spoken contraction.)
Αντώνυμα
can (Expresses ability or possibility.)
Συνδυασμοί λέξεων
cannot do
|cannot come
|cannot find
|cannot remember
|cannot see
|cannot hear
|cannot understand
|cannot decide
|cannot move
|cannot sleep
Θέματα
daily_life
|ability
Παραδείγματα
- I cannot open this jar.
- She cannot drive at night without her glasses.
- We cannot finish today because the files are missing.
Παραδείγματα για μαθητές
- I cannot swim.
- He cannot come today.
modal_verb
A2
rule
2
not permitted to do something
It means “not allowed to.”
Μοτίβο χρήσης:
[someone] cannot [do something] (here/in this place/under these rules)
Συχνό λάθος:
Do not confuse this meaning with “not able to.” In signs and rules, cannot often means “not permitted.”
Συνώνυμα
may not (Common in formal rules and permissions.)
|
must not (Often stronger, emphasizing prohibition.)
Αντώνυμα
may (Expresses permission.)
|
can (In some contexts, expresses permission (informal).)
Συνδυασμοί λέξεων
cannot enter
|cannot park
|cannot smoke
|cannot use
|cannot bring
|cannot access
|cannot carry
|cannot return
|cannot board
|cannot be admitted
Θέματα
rules
|public_places
Παραδείγματα
- You cannot park here after 6 p.m.
- Visitors cannot enter the lab without an escort.
- You cannot use your phone during the exam.
Παραδείγματα για μαθητές
- We cannot smoke here.
- You cannot bring food inside.
modal_verb
B1
state
3
impossible to happen or be done
It means “it is not possible.”
Μοτίβο χρήσης:
[something] cannot [happen/be done/be achieved]
Συνώνυμα
be impossible to (More explicit and often more formal.)
|
there is no way to (More conversational; emphasizes certainty.)
Αντώνυμα
can (Expresses possibility.)
|
be possible to (Direct opposite phrasing.)
Συνδυασμοί λέξεων
cannot happen
|cannot be done
|cannot be avoided
|cannot be changed
|cannot be undone
|cannot work
|cannot last
|cannot continue
|cannot exist
|cannot fail
Θέματα
logic
|daily_life
Παραδείγματα
- This door cannot be opened from the outside.
- A square cannot have three sides.
- With these temperatures, the battery cannot last all day.
Παραδείγματα για μαθητές
- It cannot happen.
- This cannot be done today.
modal_verb
B1
state
4
refuse or be unwilling to
It can mean “I will not” or “I refuse to.”
Μοτίβο χρήσης:
[someone] cannot [accept/agree/allow] [something]
Συχνό λάθος:
This meaning is about choice or attitude (refusal), not physical ability.
Συνώνυμα
refuse to (More direct and explicit.)
|
won't (More informal and often stronger.)
Αντώνυμα
agree to (Accepts a request or plan.)
|
be willing to (Shows readiness to do something.)
Συνδυασμοί λέξεων
cannot accept
|cannot agree
|cannot allow
|cannot support
|cannot approve
|cannot risk
|cannot tolerate
|cannot justify
|cannot forgive
|cannot face
Θέματα
social
|emotions
Παραδείγματα
- I cannot accept this money.
- We cannot agree to those terms.
- She cannot allow her name to be used in the advertisement.
Παραδείγματα για μαθητές
- I cannot accept it.
- He cannot agree.
modal_verb
B2
relation
5
used for strong negative certainty
It means “I’m sure it isn’t true/possible.”
Μοτίβο χρήσης:
[something] cannot be [true/right/possible]
Συνώνυμα
can't (More common in speech; same meaning.)
|
must not be (Also expresses deduction, often slightly more formal.)
Αντώνυμα
must be (Expresses strong positive deduction.)
|
can be (Allows the possibility.)
Συνδυασμοί λέξεων
cannot be true
|cannot be right
|cannot be serious
|cannot have
|cannot possibly
|cannot be the case
|cannot mean
|cannot be real
|cannot be explained
|cannot be denied
Θέματα
logic
|opinions
Παραδείγματα
- This cannot be the final version; it still has spelling errors.
- He cannot have written this alone—it’s too technical.
- That cannot be right; the total is higher than the budget.
Παραδείγματα για μαθητές
- It cannot be true.
- That cannot be right.
Γραμματική
Λημματική μορφή
cannot
IPA
GB/kænˈɑt/
US/kænˈɑt/
Συλλαβές και τόνος
can - not (2 συλλαβές)
Stress on 2nd syllable (not)
Τύποι λέξης
Noun
- Base: cannot
- Plural: cannots
Οικογένεια λέξεων
Εκφράσεις
cannot ... enough
1/kænˈɑt | ɪnˈʌf/
fixed phrase
emphasize that something is very great
It means “as much as possible; very, very much.”
Παραδείγματα
- I cannot thank you enough for your help.
- We cannot recommend this restaurant enough.
- She cannot praise her team enough.
cannot afford (to) [do something]
1/kænˈɑt əfˈɔɹd tə dˈu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
not have money or ability to risk
It means “I don’t have enough money” or “it’s too risky.”
Παραδείγματα
- We cannot afford a bigger apartment right now.
- I cannot afford to miss any more work.
- The company cannot afford to lose its biggest customer.
cannot be bothered (to) [do something]
1/kænˈɑt bˈi bˈɑðɚd tə dˈu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
informal
not willing to make the effort
It means “I don’t want to do it because it feels like too much effort.”
Παραδείγματα
- I cannot be bothered to cook tonight, so let’s order pizza.
- He cannot be bothered with the paperwork.
- She cannot be bothered to argue about it anymore.
cannot but [do something]
1/kænˈɑt bˈʌt dˈu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
must do; cannot avoid
It means “must” or “cannot avoid.”
Παραδείγματα
- I cannot but agree with your conclusion.
- She cannot but admire his patience.
- We cannot but wonder what happened next.
cannot complain
1/kænˈɑt kəmplˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
say you are fine or okay
It means “I’m doing okay.”
Παραδείγματα
- “How’s work?” “Cannot complain.”
- I cannot complain—things have been pretty good lately.
- We cannot complain, considering how busy everyone else is.
cannot help (doing) [something]
1/kænˈɑt hˈɛlp dˈuɪŋ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
be unable to stop oneself
It means “I can’t stop myself.”
Παραδείγματα
- I cannot help laughing when I watch that scene.
- She cannot help worrying about her son.
- He cannot help thinking that something is wrong.
cannot stand [someone/something]
1/kænˈɑt stˈænd sˈoʊmˈoʊnsəmˈɛθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
strongly dislike or tolerate
It means “I really dislike it” or “I can’t tolerate it.”
Παραδείγματα
- I cannot stand that constant noise.
- He cannot stand being interrupted.
- She cannot stand the way he talks to staff.
cannot wait
1/kænˈɑt wˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
be very excited for something
It means “I’m very excited and want it soon.”
Παραδείγματα
- I cannot wait to see you tomorrow.
- They cannot wait for the holidays to start.
- She cannot wait to tell her parents the news.