Learn Hardcore French: Je regrette que tu ne puisses pas goûter ces raisins, ils sont tellement savoureux. - I regret that you cannot taste these grapes; they are so tasty.

In French, when you express emotions, regrets, or doubts—as with regretter—the clause that follows is put in the subjunctive mood. This indicates that the action is viewed subjectively rather than as a certain fact. That’s why puisses is in the subjunctive.

Why does the sentence feature the negation ne puisses pas instead of just placing pas after the verb?

French standard negation requires the pair ne ... pas around the conjugated verb, regardless of the mood (indicative or subjunctive). So even though puisses is in the subjunctive, you still need ne before it and pas after it to properly express "cannot" or "not be able to."

How is the verb form puisses derived from the infinitive pouvoir?

Puisses is the present subjunctive form of pouvoir for the second person singular (tu). It is formed by taking the stem puiss- and adding the appropriate subjunctive ending (in this case, -es), which conforms to standard conjugation rules for the subjunctive mood.

What does the verb goûter mean in this sentence and how should it be understood in context?

In this context, goûter means "to taste" in the sense of experiencing the flavor of something. The sentence expresses regret that you are unable to taste these grapes, implying you miss out on enjoying their delicious flavor.

What purpose does the adverb tellement serve in the phrase ils sont tellement savoureux?

Tellement is used to intensify the adjective savoureux, meaning "so" or "extremely" in English. It emphasizes that the grapes are very tasty, underlining the speaker's sentiment that they are exceptionally delicious.