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can
/kæn/
pouvoir
I can swim.
Je peux nager.
informel
Able to do something (ability or permission).
She can speak three languages.
Elle peut parler trois langues.
Can I leave early today?
Puis-je partir plus tôt aujourd'hui ?
Used for general ability or permission in present tense. In French, 'pouvoir' is the direct equivalent.
neutral
A metal container (usually cylindrical) for storing food or liquids.
Open a can of beans.
Ouvre une boîte de haricots.
In French, 'boîte' (feminine) is used for food cans, while 'canette' (feminine) refers to a small metal container (e.g., for soda).
technique
To preserve food in a sealed container (verb).
We can the tomatoes to store them for winter.
Nous mettons les tomates en conserve pour les conserver l'hiver.
In French, 'mettre en conserve' is the standard phrase for this process.
Conseil pro
Modal Verb vs. Noun
Remember that 'can' as a modal verb (e.g., 'I can swim') is always followed by a bare infinitive verb, while as a noun (e.g., 'a can of soda'), it refers to a physical object.
Règle d'or
Ability vs. Permission
Use 'can' to express ability ('I can swim') or permission ('Can I go?'). In French, 'pouvoir' covers both senses.
Origine du mot
Old English 'cann' (first and third person singular of 'cunnan' meaning 'to know how to'), from Proto-Germanic '*kunnaną' (to know). The noun sense ('metal container') emerged in the 19th century, likely from the shape resembling a canister.
Notes d'usage
The modal verb 'can' is irregular in the negative form ('cannot' or 'can't'). In French, 'pouvoir' is conjugated regularly but requires attention to tense and mood (e.g., 'je peux' for present, 'j'ai pu' for past).
Dictionnaire Anglais-Français