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How to Say ‘If you can only come’ in French

Si vous ne pouvez venir que

see voo nuh poo-vay vuh-neer kuh

[see voo nuh poo-vay vuh-neer kuh]

💬 Usage Tip: ne ... que means "only", and que goes right before the thing being limited: Je n'ai que dix euros "I only have ten euros".

Phrase Breakdown

Si vous ne pouvez

see voo nuh poo-vay

If you can

'Vous' is used here for several people. 'Ne' starts the restriction 'ne... que' (only). Say 'si vu ne pu-vé'.

Example

Si vous ne pouvez pas, dites-le.

If you can't, say so.

Words in this phrase

[see]

A condition or supposition.

Example

Si tu le vois, dis-lui bonjour.

If you see him, say hello.

vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

[nuh]

(negation) not

Negation particle used with another negative word (ne… rien). In speech, it can be dropped, but it’s standard in writing.

Example

Ne me raconte rien sur l’anime, je veux garder la surprise.

Don’t tell me anything about the anime, I want to keep the surprise.

pouvez

[poo-vay]

can / are able to

Verb form used in polite questions to ask if someone can do something.

Example

Si je suis perdu, je demande « Pouvez-vous m'aider ? ».

If I am lost, I ask “Can you help me?”

venir que

vuh-neer kuh

come only

'Que' completes 'ne... que', meaning 'only'. Say 've-nir ke'.

Example

Il ne peut venir que demain.

He can only come tomorrow.

Words in this phrase

venir

[vuh-neer]

to come

Infinitive verb meaning to come.

Example

Voulez-vous venir ce soir au restaurant ?

Do you want to come to the restaurant this evening?

que

[kuh]

only

With 'ne', 'que' restricts: 'ne... que' means 'only'.

Example

Je ne bois que de l'eau.

I only drink water.

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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