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Est-ce que nous pouvons utiliser ce téléphone ?

Est-ce que nous pouvons utiliser ce téléphone ?
Can we use this phone?
From Lesson 54:The verb to be able to (pouvoir)·French

Questions & Answers about Est-ce que nous pouvons utiliser ce téléphone ?

Why is it pouvons here instead of peux or peut?
Pouvons is the specific form of the verb pouvoir (can / to be able to) that goes with nous (we). The other forms are for different people, like je peux (I can) or il peut (he can).
Why isn't the verb utiliser conjugated?
In French, when you have two verbs back-to-back, only the first one gets conjugated. Since pouvons is already conjugated to match nous, the second verb (utiliser) stays in its dictionary form (the infinitive).
What does ce mean in this sentence?
Ce means "this" or "that". It is used here because téléphone is a masculine singular noun. If the noun were feminine, you would use cette instead.
Could I ask this question without using Est-ce que?
Yes! You can flip the subject and the verb to make it Pouvons-nous utiliser ce téléphone ? or you can just say it like a regular sentence while raising your voice at the end to make it a question: Nous pouvons utiliser ce téléphone ?

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