Answers
Sep 22, 2014 - 05:53 AM
I sometimes get confused with could, since Fluenz uses it for two different French tenses. In this case, the meaning literally is "Were you able to speak with your boss?" So, past tense. Not "Can you possibly go and speak with your boss?" In English we can use "could" for both meanings. For me, I think it is much easier to think of the past tense of "be able to" when this is the meaning.
Sep 22, 2014 - 11:35 AM
Could in english expresses two multiple tenses. Either the past, or anything from now to the future. For example:
Could in the past: "He couldn't do it".
Could in the present to future: "Could you eat with me for lunch?"
If you are going to use Could in the past, you have to use the past in French: Could you speak with your boss (assuming that the context shows it is the past), would be "Avez-vous pu parler a votre chef".
If you are going to use Could in the present or future, then you have to use the conditional: Could you eat with me for lunch will be Pourriez vous dejeuner avec moi.
Could in the past: "He couldn't do it".
Could in the present to future: "Could you eat with me for lunch?"
If you are going to use Could in the past, you have to use the past in French: Could you speak with your boss (assuming that the context shows it is the past), would be "Avez-vous pu parler a votre chef".
If you are going to use Could in the present or future, then you have to use the conditional: Could you eat with me for lunch will be Pourriez vous dejeuner avec moi.