Usage note : can

can and could are usually translated by the verb pouvoir. For the conjugation of pouvoir, see the French verb tables.

he can wait until tomorrow

= il peut attendre jusqu’à demain

you can go out now

= vous pouvez sortir maintenant

The two notable exceptions to this are as follows :

When can or could is used to mean know how to, the verb savoir is used :

she can speak French

= elle sait parler français

he could read at the age of four

= à l’âge de quatre ans il savait lire

When can or could is used with a verb of perception such as see, hear or feel it is not translated at all :

I can’t see her

= je ne la vois pas

she couldn’t feel anything

= elle ne sentait rien

In requests can is translated by the present tense of pouvoir and the more polite could by the conditional tense of pouvoir :

can you help me?

= peux-tu m’aider?

could you help me?

= pourrais-tu m’aider?

For particular usages of could when it is not simply the preterite or conditional of can see 13, 15, 16 in the entry can1.

See also the entry able.

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.