français · A1 · verb · 4 minutes
Pouvoir in the present
Express ability, permission, possibility, and tactful requests.
Understand the choice
Pouvoir sets up another action as possible. The following infinitive never changes for person, while the pouvoir form carries the subject. Questions with est-ce que or inversion can request permission or help.
Core rule: The present of pouvoir is peux, peux, peut, pouvons, pouvez, peuvent; it is followed by an infinitive.
Notice it in context
Je peux t’aider et nous pouvons parler demain.
I can help you and we can talk tomorrow.
Peux carries je and leaves aider infinitive; pouvons carries nous and leaves parler infinitive.
Est-ce que tu peux répéter la question ?
Can you repeat the question?
Peux + infinitive creates a practical request.
Ils ne peuvent pas entrer maintenant.
They cannot enter now.
Ne ... pas surrounds peuvent; entrer remains infinitive.
What to remember
- Je puis exists but is formal or literary outside the fixed question puis-je…?
- Pouvoir can signal uncertain possibility: il peut pleuvoir means it may rain.
Common trap: Do not conjugate both verbs: nous pouvons parlons is wrong. Only pouvoir agrees; say nous pouvons parler.