01 / 08
Ask permission
Posso entrare?
POS-soh en-TRAH-reh
May I come in?
Posso means I can. Follow it directly with an infinitive, without translating English to as a separate word.
02 / 08
Ask a friend
Puoi ripetere?
Can you repeat that?
Puoi aspettare?
Can you wait?
Puoi is informal you can. It turns a useful action into a request.
03 / 08
Be polite
Può ripetere, per favore?
Could you repeat that, please? (polite)
Può is used for polite you as well as he and she. Its accent is part of the spelling.
04 / 08
With a group
Possiamo sederci qui?
Can we sit here?
Potete venire domani?
Can you all come tomorrow?
Possiamo asks about us; potete asks about several people you are speaking to.
05 / 08
Other people
Possono venire alle otto.
They can come at eight.
posso, possiamo, possono
POS-soh, pos-SYAH-moh, POS-soh-noh
I can, we can, they can
Possono means they can. Compare its stress with posso and possiamo.
06 / 08
Say something is not possible
Non posso venire stasera.
I can’t come tonight.
Put non before potere. Non posso often means circumstances prevent you, rather than lack of skill.
07 / 08
At the counter
Posso pagare con la carta?
Can I pay by card?
Certo, può pagare qui.
Of course, you can pay here.
One verb works for payment, entry and practical permission. Use the whole action after it.
Remember this
Takeaway
Possiamo entrare? — Sì, certo.
Can we come in? — Yes, of course.
Posso, puoi, può, possiamo, potete, possono all take an infinitive. Choose puoi for a friend and può for polite requests.