Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pouvoir | /pu.vwaʁ/ | masculine |
| puissance | /pɥi.sɑ̃s/ | feminine |
The word pouvoir refers to the ability to affect or influence, such as political or legal authority. In more specific formal contexts, you might use autorité to discuss control, influence to describe social or political sway or potentiel when referring to a scientific or technical capacity for power.
Which one should you use?
Use pouvoir when talking about abstract, legal or political authority and the right to act. In contrast, use puissance to describe physical strength, the magnitude of a force or the might of a nation.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to 'the power' as an abstract political or social concept, the masculine noun pouvoir is almost always used with the definite article le. pouvoir is a masculine noun and puissance is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/pu.vwaʁ/. It has 2 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use pouvoir to mean 'electrical power' or 'energy'. In those technical contexts, you should use puissance or énergie instead.
Did you know?
- While pouvoir is a noun meaning 'power', it is also the most common way to say 'can' or 'to be able to' as a verb.
- While puissance refers to might, it is also the standard term used in mathematics to describe an exponent or a 'power'.
- The phrase le pouvoir is often used as a shorthand to refer to 'the government' or 'the administration' in a political sense.
Examples in context
- Il a soif de pouvoir.He's hungry for power.This sentence shows how someone might desire authority using pouvoir.Tatoeba #4714398 by sacredceltic, translation #2006597 by AlanF_US
- Il a un pouvoir absolu.He has absolute power.This sentence describes someone possessing total control using pouvoir.Tatoeba #132788 by Aiji, translation #300614 by CK
- La sagesse est pouvoir.Wisdom is power.This sentence illustrates a philosophical connection between wisdom and pouvoir.Tatoeba #12886951 by Orange, translation #12886946 by Orange
- puissance nucléaireNuclear power
- exercice de l'autoritéExercise of power
- influence politiquePolitical power
- avoir du pouvoirTo have power
- L'armée démontre une puissance impressionnante sur le champ de bataille.The army demonstrates impressive power on the battlefield.
- Le président exerce une autorité incontestée dans le pays.The president exercises unquestioned authority in the country.
- Sa réputation lui confère une influence considérable dans le monde des affaires.His reputation grants him considerable influence in the business world.
- 177 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are discussing a new political candidate.
- LucasEst-ce qu'elle a assez de pouvoir ?Does she have enough power?
- EmmaNon, son pouvoir est très limité.No, her power is very limited.
- LucasC'est dommage pour son projet.That is a shame for her project.
- EmmaOui, Lucas, elle aura besoin de soutien.Yes, Lucas, she will need support.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “power” translations and entries pouvoir, puissance, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
