Pouvoir (can) · Présent
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Pouvoir in the French présent is: je peux, tu peux, il/elle/on peut, nous pouvons, vous pouvez, ils/elles peuvent. The present of pouvoir is irregular. 'Je peux' is everyday speech; 'je puis' is a formal/literary alternative for je only. The stem alternates between 'peu-' (stressed) and 'pouv-' (unstressed).
| To Be Able | Pouvoir |
|---|---|
| I can | je peux |
| you can | tu peux |
| he/she can | il/elle/on peut |
| we can | nous pouvons |
| you can | vous pouvez |
| they can | ils/elles peuvent |
Pouvoir (can) in context
Sentences that use pouvoir in the présent. Tap each to hear it.
I can help you with that.
Can you speak louder?
He can finish the project alone.
We can leave now.
You can come in, please.
They can come whenever they want.
Working with the présent
French uses the present tense more broadly than English does. "Je parle français" can mean "I speak French," "I am speaking French," or "I do speak French" — context decides. Note that "on" (technically third-person singular: "on parle") is the everyday spoken equivalent of "nous" — French speakers use it constantly in conversation. "Nous parlons" feels more formal or written; "on parle" is what you actually hear in everyday speech.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate pouvoir in the present tense?
What's the difference between 'je peux' and 'je puis'?
How do I make polite requests with pouvoir?
Practice Pouvoir (Can) in real conversations
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