{"id":153,"date":"2024-02-23T19:30:51","date_gmt":"2024-02-24T00:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/chapter\/4-11-structure-les-verbes-modaux-et-la-construction-infinitive\/"},"modified":"2025-06-04T16:32:43","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T20:32:43","slug":"grammaire-savoir-vouloir-pouvoir","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/chapter\/grammaire-savoir-vouloir-pouvoir\/","title":{"raw":"Grammaire 2: savoir, vouloir and pouvoir","rendered":"Grammaire 2: savoir, vouloir and pouvoir"},"content":{"raw":"
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On \u00e9tudie !<\/span><\/h5>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n
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So far in this course, you have seen several examples of how to put two verbs together to express likes, preferences and future actions. For example,<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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J'aime<\/strong> danser<\/strong>.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (I like to dance.)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

Il pr\u00e9f\u00e8re faire<\/strong> du v\u00e9lo.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (He prefers to ride a bike.)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

Nous allons \u00e9tudier<\/strong> le fran\u00e7ais ce soir.<\/p>\r\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (We are going to study French this evening.)<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

In each case, only the first verb is conjugated while the second verb is in the infinitive; this is called an infinitive structure.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In this section, we are going expand the list of infinitive structures we can use and practice putting verbs together to talk about what we \"know how\" to do, what we \"are able\" to do, and what we \"want\" to do:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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savoir<\/strong>\u00a0(knowing how to)<\/p>\r\n

pouvoir\u00a0<\/strong>(being able to do)<\/p>\r\n

vouloir\u00a0<\/strong>(wanting to do)<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Watch how the meaning of parler<\/strong> changes with each of these verbs:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Je parle fran\u00e7ais.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (I speak French.) (I'm speaking French.)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

Je sais<\/strong> parler fran\u00e7ais.\u00a0 \u00a0(I know how to<\/strong> speak French.)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

Je veux<\/strong> parler fran\u00e7ais.\u00a0 (I want to<\/strong> speak French.)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

Je peux<\/strong> parler fran\u00e7ais.\u00a0 (I am able to<\/strong> speak French. I can<\/strong> speak French.)<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

Let's practice these one at a time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Le verbe savoir<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n

Qu'est-ce que tu sais faire ?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

One way to express \"knowing\" is with the verb savoir<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n

Conjugaison du verbe\u00a0<\/span>savoir <\/strong>(to know)<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Singulier<\/th>\r\nPluriel<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
je sais<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\nnous savons<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
tu sais<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\nvous savez<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
il, elle, on sait<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\nils, elles savent<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n[audio mp3=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2203\/2024\/02\/4.10-Le-verbe-savoir.mp3\"][\/audio]\r\n

You can use this verb to talk about (a) what someone knows and (b) what someone knows how to do.<\/p>\r\n(a) Knowing facts\/info<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Fran\u00e7ais<\/th>\r\nAnglais<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
Je sais<\/strong> combien de personnes il y a dans la classe.<\/td>\r\nI know how many people there are in the class.<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Savez<\/strong>-vous pourquoi Preet est absente ?<\/td>\r\nDo you know why Preet is absent?<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n(b) Knowing how to do something (<\/span>savoir<\/strong>\u00a0+ infinitive verb)<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Fran\u00e7ais<\/th>\r\nAnglais<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
Catherine sait<\/strong> parler espagnol. (Un peu!)<\/td>\r\nCatherine knows how to speak Spanish. (A little!)<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Je sais<\/strong> faire un g\u00e2teau au chocolat.<\/td>\r\nI know how to make a chocolate cake.<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Savez<\/strong>-vous danser le tango ?<\/td>\r\nDo you know how to dance the tango?<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Les verbes vouloir et pouvoir<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n

Qu'est-ce que tu veux faire ? Qu'est-ce que tu peux faire ?<\/strong> (What do you want to do? What can you do?)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\r\n

We are practicing these two verbs together because they are conjugated in a similar way:<\/p>\r\n

Conjugaison du verbe\u00a0<\/span>vouloir <\/strong>(to want)<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Singulier<\/th>\r\nPluriel<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
je veux<\/strong><\/td>\r\nnous voulons<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
tu veux<\/strong><\/td>\r\nvous voulez<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
il, elle, on veut<\/strong><\/td>\r\nils, elles veulent<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nConjugaison du verbe\u00a0<\/span>pouvoir <\/strong>(to be able to, can)<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Singulier<\/th>\r\nPluriel<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
je peux<\/strong><\/td>\r\nnous pouvons<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
tu peux<\/strong><\/td>\r\nvous pouvez<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
il, elle, on peut<\/strong><\/td>\r\nils, elles peuvent<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n
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Notice how the l<\/strong><\/span> is preserved in the plural forms of voul<\/span>oir<\/strong>, and the v<\/strong><\/span> is preserved in the plural forms of pouv<\/span>oir<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n

Vouloir<\/strong>. You can use this verb to talk about (a) something someone wants and (b) what someone wants to do.<\/p>\r\n

(a) Wanting something<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Fran\u00e7ais<\/th>\r\nAnglais<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
Je veux<\/strong> un croissant.<\/td>\r\nI want a croissant.<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Les enfants veulent<\/strong> des bonbons.<\/td>\r\nThe children want candy.<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n(b) Wanting to do something<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Fran\u00e7ais<\/th>\r\nAnglais<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
Je veux<\/strong> jouer au football ce week-end.<\/td>\r\nI want to play soccer this weekend.<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Adeline veut<\/strong> sortir avec Anne.<\/td>\r\nAdeline wants to go out with Anne.<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Les enfants veulent<\/strong> jouer au jeux vid\u00e9o.<\/td>\r\nThe children want to play video games.<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Note:<\/p>\r\n

Use je voudrais<\/strong> or j'aimerais<\/strong> instead of je veux<\/strong> to express a desire more politely. These are forms of the present conditional and it would be best to use these when you are (for instance) at a caf\u00e9 or restaurant. See examples below (and note you can either follow it with a noun or a verb in the infinitive).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Je voudrais<\/strong> un sandwich au fromage s'il-vous-pla\u00eet.\u00a0 \u00a0 (I would like a cheese sandwich please.)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

J'aimerais<\/strong> payer avec ma carte.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (I would like to pay with my card.)<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

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Ressources\u00a0suppl\u00e9mentaires<\/span><\/h4>\r\n

Watch these videos to practice pronouncing:<\/p>\r\n\r\n