kunnen or moeten

[logicgate]

To say > I would have been better off applying for other jobs in other companies.

Would you prefer

> Ik had beter kunnen solliciteren naar andere jobs in andere bedrijven.

or

> Ik had beter moeten solliciteren naar andere jobs in andere bedrijven.

?

I learnt "Ik had beter moeten..." as a translation for "I would have been better off..." but online translator seems to favor kunnen. Is there a difference in meaning?

[BrutallyFrank]

This isn't about preference: the first sentence is correct because the combination 'beter' and 'kunnen' implies that you might as well do something different (applying to other jobs). The basic message is that you've come to the conclusion that you wasted your time and should've done something else.

The second sentence is completely different: it implies that you didn't apply for a job in a proper way and that you should've improved on that.

Don't get me wrong: the first sentence could have the same message, but the combination 'beter' and 'kunnen' will not be interpreted like that.

[logicgate]

Thanks, so in

> Ik had beter moeten solliciteren naar andere jobs bij andere bedrijven.

"beter" caracterizes "solliciteren", what I should have done is "apply better"

while in

> Ik had beter kunnen solliciteren naar andere jobs bij andere bedrijven.

"had beter kunnen" is a verbal bloc meaning "would have been better off"

Would you confirm so?

[LeSNT2]

Thanks, so in

> Ik had beter moeten solliciteren naar andere jobs bij andere bedrijven.

"beter" caracterizes "solliciteren", what I should have done is "apply better"

while in

> Ik had beter kunnen solliciteren naar andere jobs bij andere bedrijven.

"had beter kunnen" is a verbal bloc meaning "would have been better off"

Would you confirm so?

Correct!