German Phrase
Kannst du mich zum Flughafen mitnehmen?
Meaning
Literally: ‘Can you take me to the airport?’ It is a polite, informal request for a ride. The modal verb ‘kannst’ softens the request, while the separable verb ‘mitnehmen’ emphasizes that the speaker will be taken along.
When to use
Use this sentence when you need a lift to the airport and you are speaking to a friend, a colleague, or anyone you address with the informal ‘du’. It works well in casual conversation, text messages, or when arranging travel plans on the spot.
✦Grammar Breakdown
KannstdumichzumFlughafenmitnehmen?
Modalverb ‘können’ (2. Person Singular)
‘Kannst’ is the present‑tense form of ‘können’ used with ‘du’; it expresses ability or permission.
Personalpronomen ‘du’
The informal second‑person singular pronoun; written in lower‑case in the middle of a sentence.
Akkusativ‑Pronomen ‘mich’
Direct object pronoun referring to the speaker; it takes the accusative case.
Präposition + Artikel ‘zum’
Contraction of ‘zu dem’; ‘zu’ governs the dative, so ‘dem’ (dative masculine) becomes ‘zum’.
Trennbares Verb ‘mitnehmen’
In main clauses the prefix ‘mit‑’ separates and moves to the sentence end, as seen here.
🗨In Conversation
Kannst du mich zum Flughafen mitnehmen?
Can you give me a ride to the airport?
Klar, ich hole dich um 7 Uhr ab.
Sure, I’ll pick you up at 7 o’clock.
✕Common Mistakes
Kannst Du mich zum Flughafen mitnehmen?
In informal sentences ‘du’ stays lower‑case unless it starts the sentence.
Kannst du mich zum Flughafen mit‑nehmen?
Do not place the prefix in the middle of the sentence; it must go to the end.
Kannst du mich zu Flughafen mitnehmen?
The article must be dative after ‘zu dem’; the correct contraction is ‘zum Flughafen’.
↔Alternatives
Kannst du mich zum Flughafen fahren?
Can you drive me to the airport?
Würdest du mich zum Flughafen bringen?
Would you bring me to the airport?
Könntest du mich zum Flughafen mitnehmen?
Could you take me to the airport?
Cultural Tip
In German the level of formality matters. ‘Kannst du …’ is informal; for strangers, elders, or business contacts you should use the formal form: ‘Könnten Sie mich zum Flughafen mitnehmen?’ Also, remember that ‘mitnehmen’ is a separable verb, so the prefix always moves to the end of the clause in main sentences.