Wanting, needing, and being able to

Google voice when available; device voice as a fallback. Read along, then try each line aloud.

Keep the second action in the infinitive

Je veux means I want, and je peux means I can. Follow either with an infinitive: je veux partir, je peux venir. Do not conjugate both verbs for the same subject in these patterns.

Vouloir has je veux, tu veux, il veut, nous voulons, vous voulez, ils veulent. Pouvoir has je peux, tu peux, il peut, nous pouvons, vous pouvez, ils peuvent.

Explain a need

Avoir besoin de means to need. Keep de before a noun or an infinitive: j’ai besoin d’un billet; j’ai besoin de partir. De becomes d’ before a vowel sound.

You can use this expression with what you have already learned: nous avons besoin d’eau, elle a besoin de travailler. The form of avoir changes with the subject.

Ask and respond politely

Vous pouvez m’aider ? asks can you help me? Je voudrais makes a softer request than je veux in a service encounter. Both forms are useful, but they do different conversational work.

To decline, say je ne peux pas followed by the action, and add a reason if useful. Vous pouvez… ? and est-ce que vous pouvez… ? are both possible question patterns.

Lesson vocabulary

Listen once, say it aloud, and try to recall the French before looking.

Practice questions

Try every question, then check your answers. Capital letters and punctuation do not affect your score. Accents and ç do matter.

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Independent practice

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