saber, poder – Free Exercise

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Exercises

Complete the following sentences with the correct forms of saber or poder.

  1. Lidia y Marina llegan tarde. No que la reunión se ha adelantado.Lack of knowledge about a fact → saberLidia and Marina are late. They don’t know that the meeting has been brought forward.
  2. Hoy no quedar con vosotros. Ya tengo un compromiso.Unable to do something in a specific situation → poderI can’t meet you today. I have a prior commitment.
  3. Cuando termine con mis deberes ayudarte con los tuyos.Able to do something in a specific situation → poderWhen I finish my homework I will be able to help you with yours.
  4. ser que mañana llegue tu paquete.Expressing possibility → poderYou’re parcel might arrive tomorrow.
  5. ¿ poner acento irlandés?Learned/innate ability, know-how → saberDo you know how to do an Irish accent?
  6. ¿ bailar con el pie escayolado?Physical ability at the moment of speaking → poderCan you dance with your foot in plaster?
  7. No qué le pasa al ordenador: se ha quedado en negro.Lack of information about a fact → saberI don’t know what happened to the computer: it went black.
  8. No hacer la paella: no tenemos azafrán.Lack of ability at the moment of speaking → poderWe can’t make paella, we don’t have any saffron.
  9. ¿ hablar danés?Innate/learned ability, know-how → saberDo you know how to speak Danish?
  10. No venir a la fiesta: no os han invitado.Permission → poderYou can’t come to the party: you weren’t invited.

Read the following situations and complete the sentences with the correct forms of poder o saber.

  1. Gabriela está muy resfriada.
    → No respirar por la nariz.Lack of physical ability at the moment of speaking → poderGabriela has a bad cold.
    →She can’t breathe through her nose.
  2. La calle es demasiado estrecha.
    → No pasar con el coche.Physical ability at the moment of speaking → poderThe street is too narrow.
    →I can’t go down it in the car.
  3. Has vivido diez años en Londres.
    → hablar inglés perfectamente.Learned ability with languages, know-how → saberYou lived in London for ten years.
    →You know how to speak English perfectly.
  4. Soy muy torpe.
    → No andar a la pata coja.(Lack of) innate ability or know-how → saberI’m so clumsy.
    →I don’t know how to hop on one leg.
  5. Tengo siete dioptrías en cada ojo.
    → No leer sin gafas.Physical ability → poderI have a prescription of seven in each eye.
    I can’t read without glasses.
  6. Hemos perdido el mapa de carreteras.
    → No llegar al campamento.Lack of information → saberWe’ve lost the road map.
    →We don’t know the way to the camp ground.
  7. No tengo un martillo.
    → No colgar este cuadro.Lack of ability at the moment of speaking → poderI don’t have a hammer.
    →I can’t hang this painting.
  8. No se me dan bien las matemáticas.
    → No resolver esta ecuación.(Lack of) innate ability or know-how → saberI’m not good at maths.
    →I don’t know how to solve this equation.
  9. No soy bueno en la cocina y la paella es un plato complicado.
    → No hacer una paella auténtica.(Lack of) innate/learned ability or know-how → saberI’m not a good cook and paella is a complicated dish.
    →I don’t know how to make an authentic paella.
  10. ¿Conoces alguna receta buena de tacos mexicanos?
    → ¿ preparar tacos mexicanos?Learned ability, know-how → saberDo you know any good recipes for Mexican tacos?
    →Do you know how to make Mexican tacos?