The verb potere (can)
To express ability, possibility, or to ask for permission, use the irregular verb potere (can, to be able to). Like volere, it is a modal verb. This means you conjugate potere to match the subject, but you leave the action verb that follows it in the infinitive (the dictionary form).
Present tense of potere:
| Pronoun | Potere |
|---|---|
| io | posso |
| tu | puoi |
| lui / lei / Lei | può |
| noi | possiamo |
| voi | potete |
| loro | possono |
Notice how the second verb (lavorare, viaggiare, restare) remains unchanged:
| I can work now. | Posso lavorare adesso. |
| We cannot travel today. | Non possiamo viaggiare oggi. |
| The children can stay in the park. | I bambini possono restare nel parco. |
Asking for permission
You will frequently use potere to ask if you are allowed to do something, or to grant and deny permission to others.
| Can I enter? | Posso entrare? |
| Certainly, you can enter now. | Certamente, puoi entrare adesso. |
| You cannot use the phone in the museum. | Non puoi usare il telefono nel museo. |
| Can we pay with the card? | Possiamo pagare con la carta? |
Formal vs. informal requests
When asking for a favor, pay attention to who you are talking to. Use the informal puoi for friends and family. Use the formal può (the Lei form) for strangers or in a professional setting. Words like Scusi (Excuse me) or titles like Signore (Sir) are strong hints that you should use the formal form.
| Marco, can you carry the heavy box for me? | Marco, puoi portare la scatola pesante per me? |
| Sir, can you bring the luggage into the room? | Signore, può portare il bagaglio nella stanza? |
| Excuse me, can you explain the problem? | Scusi, può spiegare il problema? |
