can

pouvoir, savoir

Indique qu’une personne a les compétences ou les moyens nécessaires pour faire quelque chose.

En anglais simple : Shows that someone has the ability to do something.

• I can cook.
• Can your sister drive?
• He cannot read without his glasses.

Comment l'utiliser : can + base verb (I can swim.)

Synonymes : be able to

Contraires : be unable to

Expressions courantes : can swim, can speak, can read

pouvoir

Indique qu’une personne a le droit de faire quelque chose.

En anglais simple : Shows that someone is allowed to do something.

• You can sit here.
• Can I borrow your pen?
• Children cannot enter without an adult.

Comment l'utiliser : can + base verb (You can use my phone.); can I/we + base verb? (Can we sit here?)

Synonymes : may, be allowed to

Expressions courantes : can i leave, can use something, can come in

pouvoir

S’emploie dans une question pour demander à quelqu’un de faire quelque chose.

En anglais simple : Used in a question to ask someone to do something.

• Can you help me?
• Can you close the window, please?
• Can someone bring me a chair?

Comment l'utiliser : can you + base verb? (Can you pass the salt?)

Expressions courantes : can you help, can you please, can someone open

pouvoir

Indique que quelque chose est possible ou peut arriver.

En anglais simple : Shows that something is possible.

• Mistakes can happen.
• This medicine can cause headaches.
• The stars cannot be seen through these clouds.

Comment l'utiliser : can + base verb (A loose wire can cause a fire.); can be + past participle (The tickets can be bought online.)

Synonymes : be possible

Expressions courantes : can happen, can cause something, can be dangerous

pouvoir

Indique que quelque chose arrive parfois ou n’est vrai qu’à certaines occasions.

En anglais simple : Shows that something sometimes happens or is sometimes true.

• He can be noisy.
• This road can get icy in winter.
• Even good friends can disagree sometimes.

Comment l'utiliser : can + be/get + adjective (The roads can get busy on Fridays.)

Expressions courantes : can be difficult, can get busy, can feel lonely

ne pas pouvoir

Avec «not», indique qu’une action est déraisonnable ou inacceptable.

En anglais simple : Used with “not” to say an action is unreasonable or unacceptable.

• You cannot treat people like that.
• We cannot just ignore the problem.
• You cannot keep spending money we do not have.

Comment l'utiliser : cannot/can’t + base verb (You cannot leave all the work to me.)

Expressions courantes : can not ignore, can not expect, can not continue

d’accord

S’ajoute à une question pour vérifier si quelqu’un est d’accord ou accepte une proposition.

En anglais simple : Added to a question to ask whether someone agrees or accepts a suggestion.

• We meet here, can?
• I call you tomorrow, can?
• We leave after lunch, can?

Expressions courantes : meet here can, start now can, tomorrow morning can

boîte, canette

Un récipient en métal pour les aliments, les boissons ou d’autres substances.

En anglais simple : A metal container for food, drink, or other substances.

• Open this can, please.
• He bought two cans of beans.
• Is there any paint left in that can?

Comment l'utiliser : a can of + substance (She opened a can of soup.)

Synonymes : tin

Expressions courantes : a can of beans, an empty can, open a can