0

Ich habe eine einfache Frage. I simply could not make any sense out of the last sentence.

Ich habe die Prüfung nicht bestehen. --> I have not pass the test. Ich kann die Prüfung nicht bestehen. --> I cannot pass the test. Ich habe die Prüfung nicht bestehen können. --> I could not pass the test. Ich werde die Prüfung nicht bestehen können. --> ??

Vielen Dank!

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    This is more of an English language problem. Can you clarify what you do not understand about the German sentence?
    – Carsten S
    Commented Mar 6, 2022 at 14:41
  • 1
    Ich habe die Prüfung nicht bestehen. This sentence is not correct! Probably it should express : Ich habe die Prüfung nicht bestanden.
    – SturmUndDrang
    Commented Mar 6, 2022 at 15:42
  • 1
    There is no infinitive werden in these sentences so the title is wrong.
    – RHa
    Commented Mar 6, 2022 at 16:15
  • 1
    I'm not clear what the problem is. That werden forms the future tense can be found in a dictionary, and you have a translation of what it means without werden, the second example.
    – RDBury
    Commented Mar 6, 2022 at 16:23

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
3

Ich bin nicht sicher, in welcher Sprache diese Frage zu beantworten ist, da sie teils auf Deutsch, teil auf Englisch gestellt wurde, was übrigens keine gute Idee ist. Es scheint darum zu gehen, wie sich bestimmte deutsche Sätze ins Englische übersetzten lassen. Obwohl die Frage in mehrfacher Hinsicht unklar ist, mache ich einen Versuch, einen wichtigen Punkt auf Englisch zu beantworten.

I am not sure in which language this question should be answered because it is asked in a mix of German and English, which is not a good idea by the way. It seems to be about how to translate certain German sentences into English. Although the question is unclear in more than one respect, I will make an attempt to answer an important point in English.

A problem that arises when trying to translate the last sentence is that the English modal verb can is a so-called defective verb insofar as there is no infinitive. There is no "to can".

In German, the equivalent verb können does have an infinitive, which is just können as mentioned before.

This means that there is no direct English translation for a sentence which uses the infinitive können. Fortunately, English offers an alternative: to be able to.

So the last sentence can be translated using to be able to which yields:

I will not be able to pass the test.

Improve this answer
0

Ich habe die Prüfung nicht bestehen. --> I have not pass the test.

First up, the first sentence should be "Ich habe die Prüfung nicht bestanden." You need the Partizip II at the end because this sentence is in the Perfekt. bestehen, bestand, hat bestanden

"Ich werde die Prüfung nicht bestehen können." --> I will not be able to pass the test.

This is the Futur mit werden and a modal verb, so fairly advanced material.

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.