pouvoir

The French verb “pouvoir” means “to be able to” or “can” in English. It is an irregular verb that is commonly used in everyday communication. Here is its conjugation in the present tense:

  • Je peux (I can)
  • Tu peux (You can)
  • Il/Elle/On peut (He/She/One can)
  • Nous pouvons (We can)
  • Vous pouvez (You can)
  • Ils/Elles peuvent (They can)

“Pouvoir” is used to express ability, permission, or possibility in various contexts. Its conjugations may change depending on the subject pronoun and the tense of the sentence. It is an essential verb to know for anyone learning French as it is frequently used in both written and spoken language.

Examples:

  1. Je peux nager. (I can swim.)
  2. Tu peux venir avec moi. (You can come with me.)
  3. Il peut parler trois langues. (He can speak three languages.)
  4. Elle peut partir maintenant. (She can leave now.)
  5. On peut manger dehors s’il fait beau. (We can eat outside if the weather is nice.)
  6. Nous pouvons aider nos voisins. (We can help our neighbors.)
  7. Vous pouvez poser des questions. (You can ask questions.)
  8. Ils peuvent venir demain soir. (They can come tomorrow evening.)
  9. Elles peuvent étudier ensemble. (They can study together.)
  10. Les enfants peuvent jouer dans le jardin. (The children can play in the garden.)

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • boire

    The French Verb “Boire” The verb “boire” is a common and essential French verb that means “to drink.” It is irregular and is part of the third group of French verbs, requiring extra attention to its conjugations. In addition to its literal meaning, boire is also used in a variety of idiomatic expressions. Meanings of…

  • imperative mood

    The imperative mood in French is used to give commands, make requests, or offer advice. It is only conjugated in the second-person singular (tu), first-person plural (nous), and second-person plural (vous). A key distinction exists between affirmative (eg, Do something) and negative (eg Don’t do something) imperatives, affecting both conjugation and word order. Affirmative Imperative…

  • parer

    The French verb “parer” means “to ward off,” “to parry,” or “to fend off.” It can also mean “to protect,” “to attribute” or “to adorn.” So many meanings for one verb!

  • se faire de la peine

    Literal and figurative meanings The expression “se faire de la peine” literally translates as “to make pain/sorrow for oneself.” However, it’s used to express feeling sad or sorry about something. The reflexive construction (“se faire”) emphasizes that one is generating these feelings within oneself. Common uses 1. Feeling sad about a situation: 2. expressing sympathy:…

  • I do my best

    The most common French translation of the phrase “I do my best” is “je fais de mon mieux,” but there are some variations and alternative translations that you should know about. “I do my best” in French: je fais de mon mieux The phrase “je fais de mon mieux” translates directly to “I do my…

One Comment

Comments are closed.