can

/ˈkæn/

//ˈkæn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"can" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“can” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #39 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#39
frequency rank, English
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To know how to.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

can vs co
33% similar
can vs CD
0% similar
can vs CM
0% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for can
PropertyValue
Headwordcan
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈkæn/
Letters3
Frequency rank#39
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “can” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). can lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for can is 3 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkæn/. Corpus data places it at rank #39 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for can, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "co", "CD", "CM", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Pro… The correct English form is can, spelled C-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To know how to.
  2. 2
    To be able to.
  3. 3
    May; to be permitted or enabled to.
  4. 4
    To have the potential to; to be possible for (someone or something) to.
  5. 5
    Used to form requests, typically polite.
  6. 6
    To know.
  7. 7
    To be (followed by a word like able, possible, allowed). third-person singular simple present indicative of can
  8. 8
    To be able to or know how to (do something); an accompanying verb is not required if it is already inferable from context.
  9. 9
    To be fine or acceptable; to be possible; (with liao or already) to be enough. Often used in conjunction with a variety of clause-final particles, e.g., lah, meh or one, to express different attitudes towards the subject matter.

Etymology

From Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (whence also know). Doublet of con. See also: canny, cunning.

This word in other languages

poder(Español)pouvoir(Français)können(Deutsch)conseguir(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "can"?
"can" is spelled C-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkæn/.
What does "can" mean?
As a verb, "can" means: To know how to.
What words are commonly confused with "can"?
"can" is commonly confused with "co", "CD", "CM". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "can"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "can" is /ˈkæn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "can"?
From Middle English can, first and third person singular of connen, cunnen (“to be able, know how”), from Old English can(n), first and third person singular of cunnan (“to know how”), from Proto-West Germanic *kunnan, from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “can”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-A-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkæn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “co” - see the side-by-side comparison. can vs co
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list