Pouviez (en. Could)

/pu.vje/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

verb

To be able to do something.

When you were young, you could run faster.

Quand vous étiez jeunes, vous pouviez courir plus vite.

To have the possibility or permission to do something.

If you wanted to go out, you could do it.

Si tu voulais sortir, tu pouvais le faire.

To express a past ability or possibility.

At that time, you could enter without an appointment.

À cette époque, vous pouviez entrer sans rendez-vous.

Origin of the verb pouvoir, from the Latin 'posse'.

you could say

you had the opportunity to say

vous pouviez dire

if you could

if you had the opportunity

si vous pouviez

you could not

you did not have the ability

vous ne pouviez pas

power

verb meaning to have the ability or possibility.

pouvoir

being able

present participle of the verb pouvoir, indicating a current ability.

pouvant

been

past participle of the verb pouvoir, often used in the passé composé.

To have the chance

At this party, you could dance until dawn.

À cette fête, on pouvait danser jusqu'à l'aube.

To be in a position

There, you could visit all the museums for free.

Là-bas, vous pouviez visiter tous les musées gratuitement.