Breakdown of Je ne peux pas utiliser mon ordinateur.
je
I
l'ordinateur
the computer (m)
ne
not (used before the verb)
pas
not (used after the verb)
mon
my
pouvoir
to be able to / can
utiliser
to use
Questions & Answers about Je ne peux pas utiliser mon ordinateur.
How do I make pouvoir negative in this sentence?
To say 'cannot', you wrap the negative words ne and pas around the conjugated verb. Je peux means 'I can', so 'I cannot' becomes Je ne peux pas.
Why isn't utiliser conjugated here?
When two verbs are used together to express a single idea like 'can use', only the first verb is conjugated. The second verb stays in its original dictionary form, called the infinitive. Here, the conjugated verb is peux and the infinitive is utiliser.
Why do we use mon for 'my' in this sentence?
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