Pouvoir expresses three main ideas. With an action, it indicates ability: I can run, she can read quickly. With a situation, it indicates possibility: we can enter through this door. With a rule or agreement, it indicates permission: you can leave now. It is distinguished from devoir, which expresses obligation. I can go out says that going out is possible or authorized. I must go out says that going out is necessary. In a sentence, pouvoir is often constructed with an infinitive, as is also seen with other verbs in Verbs.

Main meaning and uses of pouvoir

Idea
Pouvoir expresses ability when a person knows how to do something.
Pouvoir expresses possibility when an action can happen.
Pouvoir expresses permission when a rule allows an action.

The present indicative gives the forms I can, you can, he can, we can, you can, they can. The form peux keeps the sound of eu in the first and second person singular, while peut ends with t. Pouvoir is used here to say that one knows how to do something: I can drive. It is also used to talk about a real possibility: it may rain. For permission, the form is the same: you can come in. This present is used like the other present tenses in Tenses - Present, but it adds the idea of ability or authorization.

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
il	pouvoir
je	pouvoir
ils	pouvoir
vous	pouvoir
nous	pouvoir
tu	pouvoir

Present indicative of pouvoir

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
je	pouvoir	peux
tu	pouvoir	peux
il	pouvoir	peut
nous	pouvoir	pouvons
vous	pouvoir	pouvez
ils	pouvoir	peuvent

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The most frequent structure is subject + pouvoir + infinitive. We say I can speak, we can come, they can do that, you can go out. The infinitive remains unchanged after pouvoir. This structure is used to form simple sentences in everyday life: I can call, she can wait, you can start. With a pronominal verb, the infinitive keeps its pronoun: I can get up, we can sit down. The position of the infinitive can also change depending on the meaning, but the basic form remains subject + pouvoir + infinitive.

In the imperfect, the forms are I could, you could, he could, we could, you could, they could. This imperfect is used for a past ability or a habitual possibility: when I was a child, I could run for a long time. It is also used to describe a permission or a stable situation in the past, as in Tenses - Imperfect. In the simple future, the forms are I will be able to, you will be able to, he will be able to, we will be able to, you will be able to, they will be able to. It is used for a future ability or possibility: tomorrow, you will be able to call. The stem changes to pourr- throughout the future, as with other irregular future verbs in Tenses - Simple Future.

Verb	Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
futur simple	je	pouvoir
imparfait	je	pouvoir
imparfait	nous	pouvoir
futur simple	vous	pouvoir

Imperfect and simple future of pouvoir

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
je	pouvoir	pouvais
nous	pouvoir	pouvions
je	pouvoir	pourrai
vous	pouvoir	pourrez

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The compound past is formed with avoir and the past participle pu: I have been able to, you have been able to, he has been able to, we have been able to, you have been able to, they have been able to. It is used to say that an action was accomplished thanks to an ability, possibility, or permission: I was able to finish the work, she was able to come in, we were able to leave early. With pouvoir, the compound past often emphasizes the result: the action succeeded. The past participle does not change. The structure follows the model of Tenses - Compound Past with Avoir.

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
tu	pouvoir
j	pouvoir
vous	pouvoir
nous	pouvoir
ils	pouvoir
il	pouvoir

Compound past with avoir

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
j	pouvoir	ai pu
tu	pouvoir	as pu
il	pouvoir	a pu
nous	pouvoir	avons pu
vous	pouvoir	avez pu
ils	pouvoir	ont pu

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The present conditional gives I could, you could, he could, we could, you could, they could. With pouvoir, it is very often used to make a polite request: could you help me ? It is also used to suggest a gentle solution: we could start again tomorrow. Finally, it expresses an imaginary or unconfirmed possibility: I could leave earlier, they could come tonight. The form pourrais is frequent for a request in the first person, and pourriez is very common in polite formulas with vous. This type of politeness is also found in other uses of Common expressions with pouvoir.

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
il	pouvoir
ils	pouvoir
nous	pouvoir
je	pouvoir
vous	pouvoir
tu	pouvoir

Present conditional of pouvoir

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
je	pouvoir	pourrais
tu	pouvoir	pourrais
il	pouvoir	pourrait
nous	pouvoir	pourrions
vous	pouvoir	pourriez
ils	pouvoir	pourraient

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The present subjunctive is constructed with the bases that I may be able to, that you may be able to, that he may be able to, that we may be able to, that you may be able to, that they may be able to. The subjunctive form of pouvoir is irregular, especially in the first person singular and plural. It is used after expressions such as il se peut que: it is possible that I may be able to come. It is also found after structures that require the subjunctive, for example with an idea of doubt, necessity, or feeling. In everyday language, this subjunctive appears less often than the present, but it remains essential for recognizing the correct forms.

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
qu ils	pouvoir
que je	pouvoir
que nous	pouvoir
que tu	pouvoir
que vous	pouvoir
qu il	pouvoir

Present subjunctive of pouvoir

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
que je	pouvoir	puisse
que tu	pouvoir	puisses
qu il	pouvoir	puisse
que nous	pouvoir	puissions
que vous	pouvoir	puissiez
qu ils	pouvoir	puissent

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The simplest negation is ne pas pouvoir: I cannot go out. It expresses impossibility or prohibition. With ne plus pouvoir, the ability or permission has ceased: we can no longer enter. With ne jamais pouvoir, an action remains impossible at all times: she can never rest. The restriction ne pouvoir que means only be able to: I can only wait. This structure limits the action to a single possibility. The negative forms of pouvoir are often used to talk about prohibitions, limits, or lack of freedom, as in Negations and restrictions with pouvoir.

Negative and restrictive forms of pouvoir

Idea
With ne pas pouvoir, one says that an action is not possible or not allowed.
With ne plus pouvoir, one says that an action is no longer possible.
With ne jamais pouvoir, one emphasizes a repeated impossibility.
With ne pouvoir que, one limits the action to a single possibility.

Pouvoir appears in very frequent expressions. Si tu peux introduces a possibility or a simple condition: if you can, come early. As much as possible means that one does something to the greatest extent possible: answer as much as possible. Peut-être expresses a mild probability: it peut-être too late is not correct, but maybe alone serves as an adverb: maybe he will come. We also encounter pouvoir faire quelque chose in practical sentences: to be able to call, to be able to choose, to be able to book. These uses are very helpful in everyday language.

The present participle is pouvant. It is used mainly in written texts or in more formal sentences: people who can enter must show their badge. The gerund is en pouvant, but this form remains rare and is often replaced by another more natural expression. It is used only to express an action performed at the same time as another, for example in a formal style. In everyday language, one almost always prefers a structure with another verb or another clause. These forms are useful for recognizing pouvoir in texts, even if they appear infrequently in conversation.

Verb	Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
gérondif	pouvoir	pouvoir
participe présent	pouvoir	pouvoir

Present participle and gerund of pouvoir

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
pouvoir	pouvoir	pouvant
pouvoir	pouvoir	en pouvant

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The simple past of pouvoir exists mainly in literary language: I could, you could, he could, we could, you could, they could. It is encountered in stories and novels, not in conversation. The pluperfect is formed with the imperfect of avoir and pu: I had been able to, we had been able to, they had been able to. It is used to place an ability or a success before another moment in the past: I had been able to finish before his arrival. This form follows the model of the past narrative that is also found with Tenses - Compound Past with Avoir and contrasts with the tense of literary narrative.

Verb	Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
passé simple	il	pouvoir
passé simple	je	pouvoir
plus que parfait	nous	pouvoir
plus que parfait	j	pouvoir

Simple past and pluperfect of pouvoir

Subject	Infinitive	Conjugation
je	pouvoir	pus
il	pouvoir	put
j	pouvoir	avais pu
nous	pouvoir	avions pu

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