No. 528 in Russian
мог
"Мог" means "could" or "was able to" in English (past tense, masculine form).
In a sentence
Я мог закончить проект раньше.
I could have finished the project earlier.
Using 'мог' here expresses an unrealized possibility in the past.
Ты мог бы позвонить мне вчера.
You could have called me yesterday.
Here 'мог' (in the form 'мог бы') conveys a polite suggestion implying a past action that did not occur.
Он мог плавать несколько часов подряд.
He could swim for several hours in a row.
In this sentence, 'мог' describes an ability in the past.
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