The French verb "pouvoir" means "to be able to" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "pouvoir" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "pouvoir" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | peux |
| tu | you (informal) | peux |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | peut |
| nous | we | pouvons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | pouvez |
| ils/elles | they | peuvent |
Il peut conduire cette voiture.
He can drive this car.
How to Conjugate "pouvoir" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai pu |
| tu | you (informal) | as pu |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a pu |
| nous | we | avons pu |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez pu |
| ils/elles | they | ont pu |
Il a pu finir tout.
He was able to finish everything.
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Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | pouvais |
| tu | you (informal) | pouvais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | pouvait |
| nous | we | pouvions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | pouviez |
| ils/elles | they | pouvaient |
Il pouvait courir très vite.
He could run very fast.
How to Conjugate "pouvoir" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | pourrai |
| tu | you (informal) | pourras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | pourra |
| nous | we | pourrons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | pourrez |
| ils/elles | they | pourront |
Elle pourra venir avec nous.
She will be able to come with us.
How to Conjugate "pouvoir" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | pourrais |
| tu | you (informal) | pourrais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | pourrait |
| nous | we | pourrions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | pourriez |
| ils/elles | they | pourraient |
Il pourrait manger une pomme.
He could eat an apple.
Frequently Asked Questions About "pouvoir"
Is "pouvoir" regular or irregular in French?
"Pouvoir" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "pouvoir" mean in English?
The French verb "pouvoir" means "to be able to" in English.
How do you conjugate "pouvoir" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → peux, tu → peux, il/elle/on → peut, nous → pouvons, vous → pouvez, ils/elles → peuvent.
How many tenses does "pouvoir" have in French?
"Pouvoir" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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