French Grammar in Context

2 POUVOIR

a Pouvoircan indicate permission to do something.

e.g. Tu peux partir maintenant(You may go now)

b Pouvoircan indicate a possibility or probability (frequently in the conditional).

e.g. Il peut arriver d’un jour à l’autre(He may arrive any day)

Il pourrait être là dès ce soir(He could be here by this evening)

You need to beware that in some circumstances the English ‘may’/’might’ are translated into

French not by a tense of pouvoir, but by a subjunctive of the main verb, e.g. De peur qu’il ne nous

entende(= for fear that he may/might hear us); quoi que tu dises(= whatever you may/might say)

(see Chapter 26).

c Pouvoiris also used frequently for a polite request (often in the conditional).

e.g. Pouvez-vous me passer le sel?(May I have the salt?)

Pourriez-vous m’envoyer le paquet à domicile?(Could you/Would you send the parcel to

my home address?)

d Translation of ‘could’ into French

This can present problems for an Anglophone. It is helpful to try to rephrase the verb as either

‘was/were able’ or ‘would be able’.

e.g. She could reach it (= she was able to reach it) > elle pouvaitl’atteindre

She could reach it (if she stood on a chair) > ellepourraitl’atteindre

3 VOULOIR

Vouloiris often used in the conditional to express a polite request.

e.g. Je voudrais un verre d’eau, s’il vous plaît(I’d like a glass of water, please)

4 SAVOIR

a Usage

Savoir+ infinitive expresses the ability to do something, the know-how.

e.g. Je sais jouer de la guitare(I can play the guitar)

Savoircan be followed by an object. In this case it means ‘to know’.

e.g. savait de quoi il parlait(line 82) (knew what he was talking about)

b Formation

present future past historic present participle past participle

je sais je saurai je sus sachant su

tu sais tu sauras tu sus

il sait il saura il sut

nous savons nous saurons nous sûmes

vous savez vous saurez vous sûtes

ils savent ils sauront ils surent

160 French Grammar in Context