The verb pouvoir
The verb pouvoir means "can" or "to be able to". Use it to express abilities or ask for permission.
| Pronoun | Pouvoir |
|---|---|
| je | peux |
| tu | peux |
| il / elle / on | peut |
| nous | pouvons |
| vous | pouvez |
| ils / elles | peuvent |
Follow pouvoir with an infinitive (the dictionary form of a verb) to say what someone can do.
| Can I enter here? | Est-ce que je peux entrer ici ? |
| You can swim in the pool now. | Tu peux nager dans la piscine maintenant. |
Rules and prohibitions
When visiting new places, you will often need to follow une règle (a rule).
| There is an important rule in this museum. | Il y a une règle importante dans ce musée. |
To say that an action is forbidden, use the impersonal phrase il est interdit de followed by an infinitive. Here, il means "it" rather than "he".
| It is forbidden to touch the flowers. | Il est interdit de toucher les fleurs. |
Saying what you cannot do
To state that someone cannot do something, place ne and pas around the conjugated form of pouvoir. The second verb remains in the infinitive.
| You cannot smoke in the restaurant. | Vous ne pouvez pas fumer dans le restaurant. |
| Cars cannot park here. | Les voitures ne peuvent pas se garer ici. |
| They cannot enter without a ticket. | Elles ne peuvent pas entrer sans un billet. |
Asking questions with pouvoir
You can ask if something is allowed or possible by placing est-ce que before your subject and the verb pouvoir.
| Can we use this phone? | Est-ce que nous pouvons utiliser ce téléphone ? |
| Can you take a photo of me? | Est-ce que tu peux prendre une photo de moi ? |
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