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 → poderYour 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.
  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?