could — past tense of 'can'; used to express ability or possibility in the past
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: past tense of 'can'; used to express ability or possibility in the past
Pronunciation (IPA): /kʊd/
Korean meaning: ~할 수 있었다 (과거의 능력)
Korean pronunciation: **쿠**드
Example Sentences
- Could you turn down the music? My goldfish is trying to study.
- I could speak French when I lived in Paris.
- If I were rich, I could buy a private island for my cat.
could
VERB//kʊd//
past tense of 'can'; used to express ability or possibility in the past

💡 Concept
She believed she could reach the summit before sunset.
🎤Pronunciation
🇺🇸 US/kʊd/
🇬🇧 UK/kʊd/
🌳Etymology
Origin
고대 영어 'cūþe'에서 유래. 'can'의 과거형으로 발달하여 현재는 정중함과 가능성을 표현하는 조동사가 되었다.
🎵Rhyme
goodwoodshouldwould
good
wood
should
would
🔗Collocations
could you please
I could be wrong
could have been
you could try
it could be
who could know
📝Examples
😄 Fun example
“Could you turn down the music? My goldfish is trying to study.”
“I could speak French when I lived in Paris.”
😄 Fun example
“If I were rich, I could buy a private island for my cat.”
“Could this day get any worse?”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
mightwouldshouldcan
Antonyms
cannotcouldn'twon't
Related
ablepossiblemaybeperhapsrequest
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