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Italian potere Conjugation
“can / to be able to” · 能够 · all seven simple tenses plus the past participle
Present tenseio posso · tu puoi · lui / lei può · noi possiamo · voi potete · loro possono
Potere ("can / to be able to") is one of the three Italian modal verbs, and its present is heavily compressed: posso, puoi, può, possiamo, potete, possono. Like the other modals it takes a bare infinitive after it, with no preposition in between.
Below are the complete potere tables for all seven simple tenses, how it differs from sapere and riuscire, and the conditional potrei that carries polite requests.
Present indicativeIndicativo presente
States what is true or happening now, plus habits and general facts.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | posso |
| tu | puoi |
| lui / lei | può |
| noi | possiamo |
| voi | potete |
| loro | possono |
Example:Studio italiano ogni giorno.
I study Italian every day.
ImperfectIndicativo imperfetto
Describes past background, ongoing states, and repeated behaviour.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | potevo |
| tu | potevi |
| lui / lei | poteva |
| noi | potevamo |
| voi | potevate |
| loro | potevano |
Example:Da piccolo giocavo qui.
I used to play here as a child.
Historic pastIndicativo passato remoto
Narrates a past event seen as complete, mainly in writing; spoken usage varies by region.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | potei |
| tu | potesti |
| lui / lei | potè |
| noi | potemmo |
| voi | poteste |
| loro | poterono |
Example:Dante nacque nel 1265.
Dante was born in 1265.
FutureIndicativo futuro semplice
Refers to the future, and can also express a guess about the present.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | potrò |
| tu | potrai |
| lui / lei | potrà |
| noi | potremo |
| voi | potrete |
| loro | potranno |
Example:Domani partirò presto.
Tomorrow I will leave early.
ConditionalCondizionale presente
Used for polite requests and wishes, and for what would happen under a condition.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | potrei |
| tu | potresti |
| lui / lei | potrebbe |
| noi | potremmo |
| voi | potreste |
| loro | potrebbero |
Example:Vorrei un caffè.
I would like a coffee.
Present subjunctiveCongiuntivo presente
Common in clauses after certain verbs and conjunctions to express wishes, judgements and doubts; use depends on the construction.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | possa |
| tu | possa |
| lui / lei | possa |
| noi | possiamo |
| voi | possiate |
| loro | possano |
Example:Spero che tu stia bene.
I hope you are well.
Imperfect subjunctiveCongiuntivo imperfetto
Follows some past main clauses, and appears in hypothetical conditions.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | potessi |
| tu | potessi |
| lui / lei | potesse |
| noi | potessimo |
| voi | poteste |
| loro | potessero |
Example:Se avessi tempo, leggerei di più.
If I had time, I would read more.
Past participle Participio passato
- masculine singular
- potuto
- feminine singular
- potuta
- masculine plural
- potuti
- feminine plural
- potute
Auxiliary: As a modal, potere builds its compound tenses with the auxiliary of the verb that follows: ho potuto aspettare.
How it is used
Permission, possibility, capability
Posso entrare? asks permission. Può essere vero and può darsi che piova express possibility, and with può darsi che Italian wants the subjunctive. Impersonal third person covers what can happen: può succedere (it can happen), non si può (it's not allowed).
Potere, sapere or riuscire?
So nuotare is I know how to swim, a learned skill. Riesco a finire is I manage to finish, given the circumstances. Posso finire is I am able or allowed to finish, given permission or opportunity. English flattens all three into can, so learners reach for potere for everything and end up sounding as if they were asking permission.
Where learners slip
The third person singular is può, never *po or *puote. The future contracts to potr- (potrò, potrai, potrà) and the conditional to potreb- (potrei, potrebbe). The participle potuto is regular: ho potuto.
Questions learners ask
How do I say "could" politely?
Use the conditional: potrei avere il conto? (could I have the bill?), potrebbe ripetere? (could you repeat that, formal). Potrei aiutarti is I could help you.
What is the past of potere?
Ho potuto for a single occasion when you were able to do it. Use the imperfect potevo for an ability or condition in the past: da piccolo potevo restare sveglio (as a child I could stay up).
Can potere stand alone?
Yes: non posso (I can't), si può? (is it allowed?), and with the verb understood: posso venire, anch'io posso.
Does potere have an imperative?
In theory yes, in practice no. Italians avoid it and use the conditional, a permission phrase or riuscire instead.
中文说明
potere：能够 · 作为情态动词时，助动词常取决于后面的动词，不能只按 potere 判断。
- 直陈式现在时 · Indicativo presente
- 直陈式未完成过去时 · Indicativo imperfetto
- 直陈式远过去时 · Indicativo passato remoto
- 直陈式简单将来时 · Indicativo futuro semplice
- 条件式现在时 · Condizionale presente
- 虚拟式现在时 · Congiuntivo presente
- 虚拟式未完成过去时 · Congiuntivo imperfetto
Practise potere
Present indicative · io
Practise in the order io, tu, lui / lei, noi, voi, loro, then move on to the next tense.
Put the forms back into sentences
Meet the same verb in real contexts with the grammar notes and the graded reading material.
Italian grammarMore Italian study material