Conjugate pouvoir in the past conditional in French = could have (Le Conditionnel Passé)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard , HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2022-05-19
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Look at these examples of "pouvoir" in the Conditionnel passé:


J'aurais pu être un grand artiste.I could have been a great artist.

Tu n'aurais pas pu venir de toute façon!You couldn't have come anyway!

Elle aurait pu appeler!She could have called!

Nous aurions pu vous écrire plus tôt, c'est vrai.We could have written to you earlier, that's true.

Vous auriez pu nous prévenir.You could have warned us.

Ils n'auraient jamais pu comprendre tes raisons.They could never have understood your reasons.

 

Conjugating pouvoir in Le Conditionnel Passé is easy:

Conditionnel of avoir + pu (past participle of pouvoir) + infinitive

  

Notice the difference between the English and French:

  • in English you use the past participle form of the verb (been,called, warned)
  • in French we use the Conditionnel passé of pouvoir + the verb infinitive (être, appeler, prévenir) .
 
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Examples and resources

J'aurais pu être un grand artiste.I could have been a great artist.
Tu n'aurais pas pu venir de toute façon!You couldn't have come anyway!
Vous auriez pu nous prévenir.You could have warned us.
Ils n'auraient jamais pu comprendre tes raisons.They could never have understood your reasons.
Elle aurait pu appeler!She could have called!
Nous aurions pu vous écrire plus tôt, c'est vrai.We could have written to you earlier, that's true.
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