Talk:pouvoir

How would then a Belgian say I do not know how to sleep? Ferike333 20:41, 30 November 2010 (UTC)
 * Je ne sais pas comment dormir (IMO). Mglovesfun (talk) 16:56, 28 April 2012 (UTC)

Disputed usage notes
Pouvoir is not used to mean can in the sense of "to know how to". Use savoir instead.
 * Not quite true, you can use pouvoir for this. I agree that "je sais nager" and "je peux nager" are not quite synonymous, but pouvoir can mean be able to in the sense of an ability. For example je peux jongler avec trois balles (I can juggle with three balls) clearly uses pouvoir. Mglovesfun (talk) 16:59, 28 April 2012 (UTC)

«Puis-je?» = "May I?"
The form «Puis-je?» is no more archaic than "May I?" in English.

In law the French verb «pouvoir» has the meaning "may" rather than "can" or "be able". One may also translate the verb into English as "to have power" to do something, for example, John 10:18 in the King James Version.


 * "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

"To have power," that is, permission from authority. 24.237.158.26 23:41, 13 September 2017 (UTC)


 * It depends on the context. used outside of fixed expressions such as "puis-je", "si je puis..." would be considered archaic. – Jberkel (talk)