On peut jouer ?
The English phrase "can we play?" is translated into French as On peut jouer ?
This phrase is used to ask for permission or agreement to engage in a game or playful activity.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of on (one/we), peut (can/is able to) and jouer (to play).
Which one should you use?
While on can literally mean "one", in this context it is the standard informal way to say "we".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to express this depending on the level of formality. On peut jouer ? and Est-ce qu'on peut jouer? are informal. For more formal situations, you can use Pouvons-nous jouer? or the even more polite Pourrions-nous jouer?
How does it change in a sentence?
In this informal construction, the question is indicated by rising intonation at the end of the sentence rather than by changing word order.
Did you know?
- The word jouer comes from the Latin word iocārī, which is also the root of the English word 'joke'.
- While on is the standard informal word for 'we' in this phrase, it is grammatically singular and always takes the same verb form as il meaning 'he'.
- While jouer means 'to play', if you are playing a sport like football or tennis, you must add the preposition à before the sport's name.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, pouvons-nous jouer?Excuse me, can we play?
- Salut, on peut jouer?Hi, can we play?
- On peut jouer ?Can we play?
Example conversation
Two children are in a playroom with toys.
- EmmaGabriel, on peut jouer ?Gabriel, can we play?
- GabrielOui, on peut jouer aux blocs.Yes, we can play with blocks.
- EmmaSuper ! On commence ?Great! Shall we start?
- GabrielOui, c'est parti !Yes, let's go!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jouer, on, peut, CC BY-SA 4.0.
