could: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
A1Neutral. Universally used across all registers, from formal to informal.
Quick answer
What does “could” mean?
The past tense of 'can', used to express ability, possibility, permission, or requests in the past, or as a more tentative or polite form in the present/future.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The past tense of 'can', used to express ability, possibility, permission, or requests in the past, or as a more tentative or polite form in the present/future.
Used to express a hypothetical condition, suggestion, or a wish.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. In spoken requests, British English may more frequently use 'Could you...?' as a default polite form, whereas American English might use 'Can you...?' more interchangeably, though both are fully understood and used.
Connotations
Identical connotations of politeness, tentativeness, or past ability.
Frequency
Extremely high and virtually identical in both varieties. One of the most common words in the language.
Grammar
How to Use “could” in a Sentence
Could + bare infinitive (e.g., could go)Could + have + past participle (e.g., could have gone)Could + subject + bare infinitive? (e.g., Could I go?)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “could” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I could pop round later if you like.
- She couldn't half tell a good story in her day.
American English
- I could swing by later if you want.
- He couldn't figure out the instructions.
adverb
British English
- N/A - 'could' is not an adverb.
American English
- N/A - 'could' is not an adverb.
adjective
British English
- N/A - 'could' is not an adjective.
American English
- N/A - 'could' is not an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used for polite requests and tentative suggestions (e.g., 'We could explore that option in Q3.').
Academic
Used to express possibility, hypothesis, or mitigated claims (e.g., 'The results could be interpreted as...').
Everyday
Ubiquitous for past ability, asking permission, and making suggestions (e.g., 'Could you pass the salt?', 'I could meet you at six.').
Technical
Used to describe potential system states or conditional outcomes (e.g., 'The process could fail under load.').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “could”
- Using 'could' instead of 'was/were able to' for single, successful past achievements (*'Yesterday I could finish the work.' -> '...was able to finish...').
- Incorrect inversion in questions (*'Do I could...?'). 'Could' inverts directly: 'Could I...?'
- Using 'to' after 'could' (*'could to go').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
For general past ability, both work. For a single, specific successful accomplishment in the past, 'was/were able to' or 'managed to' is preferred. 'Could' is often used for general ability or in negative sentences about specific events ('I couldn't open it').
No. While it is the past tense of 'can' in reported speech ('He said he could come'), it is most commonly used for present/future possibility ('It could rain'), polite requests ('Could you...?'), and suggestions ('We could go to the cinema').
The standard negative contraction is 'couldn't' (e.g., I couldn't see it). The full form is 'could not', which is more emphatic.
Yes, it is very common. 'Could' expresses future possibility that is uncertain or conditional (e.g., 'We could go to the beach tomorrow if the weather is nice').
The past tense of 'can', used to express ability, possibility, permission, or requests in the past, or as a more tentative or polite form in the present/future.
Could is usually neutral. universally used across all registers, from formal to informal. in register.
Could: in British English it is pronounced /kʊd/, and in American English it is pronounced /kʊd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “could do worse than”
- “couldn't care less”
- “couldn't agree more”
- “could do with”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'would' and 'should'. All three are used for hypotheticals and are among the most common short words ending in '-ould'. It's the polite or past version of the very short, powerful word 'can'.
Conceptual Metaphor
ABILITY IS A CONTAINER (past/unrealized): 'I could do it' conceptualizes a past or potential ability as something that existed/is held within the self. POLITENESS IS DISTANCE: Using 'could' instead of 'can' creates metaphorical distance, making a request less direct and thus more polite.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'could' to express a polite request in the present?