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How to Say ‘You can go ahead.’ in French

Vous pouvez y aller.

voo poo-VAY ee ah-leh

[voo poo-VAY ee ah-leh]

💬 Usage Tip: The little word y means "there" and sits right before aller. Allez-y "go ahead" uses the same pieces.

Phrase Breakdown

Vous pouvez

voo poo-VAY

You can

Pronounce it 'voo poo-vay'. This is the polite 'you' form of 'pouvoir' (can).

Example

Vous pouvez entrer.

You can come in.

Words in this phrase

Vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

pouvez

[poo-VAY]

can / may

Indicates permission or possibility.

Example

Vous pouvez annuler jusqu’à l’heure limite.

You can cancel until the deadline.

y aller.

ee ah-leh

go (there).

Pronounce it 'ee ah-lay'. 'Y' means 'there'. Glide smoothly from 'y' into 'aller'.

Example

On peut y aller ?

Can we go?

Words in this phrase

[ee]

there

In or at that place.

Example

Y a-t-il une solution?

Is there a solution?

aller

[ah-leh]

to go

Infinitive form of the verb 'to go', used for motion or travel.

Example

Je pense qu'il serait bien d'aller ailleurs.

I think it would be nice to go somewhere else.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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