français · B1 · verb · 4 minutes
Pouvoir in the future simple
Promise future ability or possibility with the stem pourr-.
Understand the choice
Future pouvoir separates current limits from later capability. Its double r appears throughout the future and conditional stems, while the following action remains an infinitive.
Core rule: Pouvoir uses the irregular future stem pourr- plus the standard future endings, followed by an infinitive.
Notice it in context
Après la mise à jour, vous pourrez accéder au dossier.
After the update, you will be able to access the file.
Pourrez agrees with vous; accéder is the action that becomes possible; après locates the condition in time.
Je pourrai vous répondre demain.
I will be able to answer you tomorrow.
Pourrai is first-person future; répondre stays infinitive.
Quand ils pourront venir, nous fixerons une date.
When they can come, we will set a date.
French uses future in the quand clause because the event is future.
What to remember
- Pouvoir is rarely used in the imperative; veuillez or a direct imperative expresses requests.
- Pourrai and pourrais differ only in ending and often sound alike: future certainty versus conditional possibility.
Common trap: Do not use present peuvent after future quand in careful French: quand ils pourront venir.