Here is a guide to the key points of pouvoir, including conjugations, usage notes, and common expressions.
Key Features:
- Irregular stem that changes in many tenses (peux, peux, peut, pouvons, pouvez, peuvent in present; pouv- in imperfect and future; pu in past participle)
- Takes avoir as auxiliary verb in compound tenses (e.g., j’ai pu)
- Can be followed by an infinitive to indicate “can do something” (e.g., Je peux partir = I can leave)
- Also used in polite or tentative requests (e.g., Puis-je entrer ? = May I come in?)
Basic Usage
Pouvoir means “can,” “to be able to,” “may,” or “be allowed to.” It expresses:
- Ability: Je peux nager. (I can swim.)
- Permission: Tu peux sortir. (You may go out.)
- Possibility: Il peut pleuvoir demain. (It might rain tomorrow.)
It is almost always followed by an infinitive verb when describing what can be done:
- Je peux parler français. (I can speak French.)
- Nous pouvons partir maintenant. (We can leave now.)
Pronunciation and Spelling Changes
The verb sticks to its roots in -oir but changes stems depending on tense and subject:
- Present: peux, peux, peut, pouvons, pouvez, peuvent
- Imperfect and conditional: pouv-
- Future and subjunctive: puiss- (subjunctive only)
- Past participle: pu
These stem changes are irregular and must be memorized.
Which stem does pouvoir use in the imperfect tense?
pouv-
The imperfect stem is always 'pouv-' regardless of subject.
Conjugations
Below are the most commonly used forms of pouvoir, along with example sentences for context.
Present (Indicative)
Stem: peux / peut / pouvons / pouvez / peuvent
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | peux | I can | Je peux venir. | I can come. |
| tu | peux | you can | Tu peux parler. | You can speak. |
| il/elle/on | peut | he/she/one can | Elle peut nager. | She can swim. |
| nous | pouvons | we can | Nous pouvons partir. | We can leave. |
| vous | pouvez | you (pl./form.) can | Vous pouvez entrer. | You can enter. |
| ils/elles | peuvent | they can | Ils peuvent sortir. | They can go out. |
Passé Compose
Formation: avoir + pu
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| j’ | ai pu | I was able to | J’ai pu finir. | I was able to finish. |
| tu | as pu | you were able to | Tu as pu venir. | You were able to come. |
| il/elle | a pu | he/she was able to | Elle a pu partir. | She was able to leave. |
| nous | avons pu | we were able to | Nous avons pu voir. | We were able to see. |
| vous | avez pu | you were able to | Vous avez pu comprendre. | You were able to understand. |
| ils/elles | ont pu | they were able to | Ils ont pu aider. | They were able to help. |
Ils ___ aider.
ont pu
Third-person plural uses 'ont' + 'pu' in passé composé.
Imperfect
Stem: pouv-
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | pouvais | I could / was able to | Je pouvais sortir tôt. | I could leave early. |
| tu | pouvais | you could / were able to | Tu pouvais venir. | You could come. |
| il/elle | pouvait | he/she could / was able to | Il pouvait nager. | He could swim. |
| nous | pouvions | we could / were able to | Nous pouvions parler. | We could speak. |
| vous | pouviez | you could / were able to | Vous pouviez lire. | You could read. |
| ils/elles | pouvaient | they could / were able to | Elles pouvaient partir. | They could leave. |
Future
Stem: pourr-
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | pourrai | I will be able to | Je pourrai venir demain. | I will be able to come tomorrow. |
| tu | pourras | you will be able to | Tu pourras finir. | You will be able to finish. |
| il/elle | pourra | he/she will be able to | Elle pourra partir. | She will be able to leave. |
| nous | pourrons | we will be able to | Nous pourrons aider. | We will be able to help. |
| vous | pourrez | you will be able to | Vous pourrez voir. | You will be able to see. |
| ils/elles | pourront | they will be able to | Ils pourront venir. | They will be able to come. |
Conditional
Stem: pourr-
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | pourrais | I could / would be able to | Je pourrais essayer. | I could try. |
| tu | pourrais | you could / would be able to | Tu pourrais venir. | You could come. |
| il/elle | pourrait | he/she could / would be able to | Elle pourrait aider. | She could help. |
| nous | pourrions | we could / would be able to | Nous pourrions partir. | We could leave. |
| vous | pourriez | you could / would be able to | Vous pourriez voir. | You could see. |
| ils/elles | pourraient | they could / would be able to | Ils pourraient venir. | They could come. |
Nous ___ partir si possible.
pourrions
'Nous pourrions' is conditional; it expresses a polite or hypothetical action.
Subjunctive (Present)
Stem: puiss-
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| que je | puisse | that I can | Il faut que je puisse parler. | It’s necessary that I can speak. |
| que tu | puisses | that you can | Il faut que tu puisses venir. | It’s necessary that you can come. |
| qu’il/elle | puisse | that he/she can | Il faut qu’elle puisse comprendre. | It’s necessary that she can understand. |
| que nous | puissions | that we can | Il faut que nous puissions partir. | It’s necessary that we can leave. |
| que vous | puissiez | that you can | Il faut que vous puissiez aider. | It’s necessary that you can help. |
| qu’ils/elles | puissent | that they can | Il faut qu’ils puissent voir. | It’s necessary that they can see. |
Imperative
| French Subject | French Imperative | English Meaning | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — (tu) | peux | can | Peux venir ! | Be able to come! |
| — (nous) | pouvons | let’s be able | Pouvons essayer. | Let’s be able to try. |
| — (vous) | pouvez | be able (pl./form.) | Pouvez partir. | Be able to leave. |
Usage Notes
- Pouvoir + infinitive: This is the most common pattern (Je peux sortir).
- Puis-je ... ? is a formal way to ask for permission (May I ...?).
- Could and would in English often correspond to pouvais, pourrais, pourrais in French for polite or tentative meaning.
- When expressing impossibility or denying ability in the past, use ne pas avoir pu + infinitive: Je n’ai pas pu venir. (I couldn’t come.)
- Pouvoir can express possibility or probability in the present and future (Il peut neiger = It might snow).
Common Expressions with Pouvoir
. Pouvoir compter sur quelqu’un
- Meaning: to be able to count on someone
- Example: Tu peux toujours compter sur moi. (You can always count on me.)
. Pouvoir se permettre
- Meaning: to be able to afford (literally or figuratively)
- Example: Je peux me permettre une pause. (I can allow myself a break.)
. Le pouvoir
- Meaning: power (as a noun)
- Example: Le pouvoir corrompt. (Power corrupts.)
Next Steps
- Practice pouvoir + infinitive with verbs you know.
- Use peux-tu or pouvez-vous to ask politely.
- Listen for puis-je ...? in formal spoken and written French.
- Learn ne pas pouvoir + infinitive to express inability or failed attempts.
- Try writing simple sentences using pouvoir in present, passé composé, and conditional.
Pouvoir is fundamental to expressing capability, permission, and possibility in French. With regular practice, you’ll be able to use it confidently across conversation and writing.
Flashcards (1 of 39)
- English Conjugation: I can
- English Example: I can come.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
