pouvoir (présent)

Irregular Verb Pouvoir (Can/to Be Able to)

Level 1

Pouvoir (can/to be able to) is an irregular verb used to talk about what you are allowed to do, what is possible, or what you have the physical ability to do. It is always followed by another verb in its base form (infinitive).

How It Works

The verb pouvoir is one of the most common modal verbs in French. It serves four main functions:

  • Ability: Physical or situational capacity (e.g., 'I can see').
  • Possibility: Something that might happen (e.g., 'It can rain').
  • Permission: Asking or giving leave (e.g., 'You can go').
  • Polite Requests: Asking for help or information.

Conjugation Table:
• Je peux
• Tu peux
• Il/Elle/On peut
• Nous pouvons
• Vous pouvez
• Ils/Elles peuvent

Important Note: In very formal questions using inversion, the 'je' form changes from peux-je (which is incorrect) to Puis-je. For example: Puis-je entrer ? (May I enter?). In everyday speech, most people use est-ce que instead: Est-ce que je peux entrer ?

Examples (5)

  1. Je peux parler avec toi ?

    Can I speak with you?

    Word by Word: I can to speak with you?

    Here, 'pouvoir' is used to ask for permission. Notice that 'parler' remains in the infinitive.

  2. Nous pouvons finir le projet demain.

    We can finish the project tomorrow.

    Word by Word: We can to finish the project tomorrow.

    This expresses a possibility or situational ability.

  3. Est-ce qu'ils peuvent venir à la fête ?

    Can they come to the party?

    Word by Word: Is it that they can to come to the party?

    The 3rd person plural form 'peuvent' has a distinct stem and pronunciation.

  4. Puis-je vous aider ?

    May I help you?

    Word by Word: May I you to help?

    This uses the formal 'puis' form required for inversion with 'je'.

  5. Tu ne peux pas manger ici.

    You cannot eat here.

    Word by Word: You [negation] can not to eat here.

    In negative sentences, 'ne...pas' surrounds the conjugated form of 'pouvoir'.

Common Mistakes

  • Conjugating the second verb after 'pouvoir'.

    Je peux vais au cinéma.
    Je peux aller au cinéma.

    In French, when two verbs follow each other, the first is conjugated and the second must be in the infinitive (base) form.

  • Using 'pouvoir' when you mean a learned skill.

    Different MeaningJe peux parler français.
    Je sais parler français.

    'Je peux parler français' is correct French, but it means you are able or allowed to speak French (for example, nobody will stop you). To say you know how to speak the language, use 'savoir'.

  • Using 'Peux-je' in questions.

    Peux-je ouvrir la porte ?
    Puis-je ouvrir la porte ?

    'Peux-je' is grammatically incorrect. You must use the special form 'Puis-je' when inverting 'pouvoir' with 'je'.

How It Connects

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pouvoir (présent)Level 1Irregular Verb Pouvoir (Can/to Be Able to)

Learn This First

To learn the present tense of 'pouvoir', you first need to be familiar with French subject pronouns (je, tu, il, etc.) and the basic sentence structure. It is also helpful to have encountered other irregular verbs with similar stem-changing patterns, such as 'vouloir'.

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pouvoir