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modal verbs comparison

Can, May and “Можна”: Expressing Permission in English, German and Ukrainian (with Russian Parallels)
Can, May and “Можна”: Expressing Permission in English, German and Ukrainian (with Russian P...
Comparative Linguistics

Can, May and “Можна”: Expressing Permission in English, German and Ukrainian (with Russian Parallels)

Why Permission Is More Complex Than It Seems Many learners believe that asking permission is simple. You say: “Can I…?” But language is rarely that simple. In English, German and Ukrainian, permission and possibility are expressed differently.And when students transfer patterns from Slavic languages into English or German, subtle mistakes appear. Understanding these differences is […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
• 28.04.2026 • 3 min read
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modal verbs comparison

I Want Coffee — But I Wouldn’t Say So | LEVITIN SCHOOL
05.01.2026

I Want Coffee — But I Wouldn’t Say So

Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect

Understanding Desire Across Languages and Cultures © Tymur Levitin — Founder & Head Teacher, Levitin Language School | Start Language School by Tymur Levitin You want something. But do you say it? Do you say: I want a coffee?Or I’d like a coffee?Or maybe… I would have liked a coffee? If you speak Russian, Ukrainian, […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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