The French verb pouvoir means "to be able to" and is used to express ability, possibility, or permission. It is an essential, highly irregular verb commonly used in everyday conversation. Mastering pouvoir lets you say things like "I can," "You may," and "They are able to," opening up many new ways to communicate in French.
- Expresses ability, possibility, or permission
- Essential for real-world situations and polite requests
- Highly irregular; conjugation must be memorized
'pouvoir' expresses ability, possibility, and permission.
Meaning & Usage
Pouvoir means "to be able to," "can," or "may," and is used to talk about what someone is able to do, what is possible, or what is allowed.
- Main meanings: to be able to / can / may
- Used for ability, possibility, and permission
- Common in both formal and informal contexts
Key Uses with Examples
| Use | French Example | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Ability | Je peux nager. | I can swim. |
| Possibility | Il peut pleuvoir demain. | It might rain tomorrow. |
| Permission | Vous pouvez sortir. | You may go out. |
'pouvoir' is used for expressing ability, possibility, and permission.
Conjugation: Present Tense
Pouvoir is irregular. Its root changes in different forms.
| Subject | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| Je | peux | I can |
| Tu | peux | You can (informal) |
| Il/Elle/On | peut | He/She/One can |
| Nous | pouvons | We can |
| Vous | pouvez | You can (formal/plural) |
| Ils/Elles | peuvent | They can |
- Stem for most: peu-
- For je/tu: peux; il/elle: peut; nous/vous: pouv-; ils/elles: peuvent
The 'nous' form is 'pouvons'.
Practice: Conjugate Pouvoir (Present)
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of pouvoir:
- Je _ venir ce soir. (I can come tonight.)
- Peux-tu _ m'aider? (Can you help me?)
- Nous _ voyager en été. (We can travel in summer.)
- Ils _ regarder la télé. (They can watch TV.)
'Je' and 'tu' use 'peux'.
Correct: 'Je peux partir', 'Peut-être', 'Vous pouvez sortir'.
Practice Sentences: Translate with Pouvoir
Translate to French using the correct form of pouvoir:
- I can speak French.
- She may arrive late.
- Can you open the window? (informal)
- We can help you.
The future stem for 'pouvoir' is 'pourr-'.
Summary
Pouvoir is a vital French verb for expressing what you can do, may do, or what might happen. Its irregular conjugation and broad uses make it indispensable for real-life communication.
- Expresses ability, permission, and possibility
- Irregular conjugation: je peux, nous pouvons, ils peuvent...
- Can be used to form requests, suggestions, and hypotheses
'Pouvoir' expresses ability, permission, and possibility.
'pouvoir' means 'to be able to', 'can', or 'may'.
'pouvoir' is used for expressing ability, permission, and potential, not for stating simple past facts.
'pouvoir' is often used to make polite requests (e.g., 'Pouvez-vous...?').
The correct present tense forms are: je peux, tu peux, il peut, nous pouvons, vous pouvez, ils peuvent.
'savoir' and 'devoir' express related notions of ability and obligation.