kunt

Kunt is the second-person singular present tense form of the Dutch verb kunnen, meaning "to be able to" or "can." It is used with the subject jij/je or u (informal or formal you) to express ability, possibility, or permission in the present tense. The infinitive kun nen corresponds to English "to be able to." Kunt appears in statements such as "Jij kunt dit probleem oplossen" and in formal or polite usage as "U kunt hier parkeren."

In Dutch, kunnen is an irregular verb, with the full present-tense forms including ik kan, jij kunt (or je kunt), u kunt, wij kunnen, jullie kunnen, zij kunnen. In questions, you often see "Kun je" or "Kunt u" instead of a direct statement, for example "Kun je me helpen?" or "Kunt u mij helpen?" The form kunt is used with both informal and formal you in the appropriate contexts. It is not used for third-person forms; for he/she/it or plural you, other forms of kunnen apply (kan, kunnen).

Etymology and related forms: kunnen originates from Middle Dutch kunnen and is cognate with the English can and the German können, sharing a common Proto-Germanic root related to ability or possibility. In modern Dutch, the word kun nen and its present-tense forms are common across spoken and written language.

Usage notes: kan/can versus kunt/kunt often reflect formality and subject. Negation is typically with niet: "Ik kan dit niet doen," while with kunt: "U kunt hier niet parkeren." Phrasal variants and fixed expressions frequently appear in everyday speech, but kunt remains a core, productive form for indicating capability in the second person present.