French Phrase
Je peux amener un ami ?
Meaning
A polite request asking whether the speaker is allowed to bring a friend along. It can be used in both informal and semi‑formal situations, and the tone can be softened with “est‑ce que” or “puis‑je”.
When to use
Use this sentence when you’re invited to an event, a dinner, a class, or any gathering and you want to know if a guest is welcome. It works equally well in spoken conversation and in a short written message (e‑mail, text).
✦Grammar Breakdown
Jepeuxamenerunami?
Subject pronoun (Je)
The first‑person singular pronoun used before a verb.
Modal verb pouvoir (peux)
Present‑tense form of pouvoir meaning ‘can / may’; it is conjugated with the subject.
Infinitive amener
Amener means ‘to bring (someone) to a place’. It is the infinitive that follows a modal verb.
Indefinite article (un)
Used before a singular masculine noun to mean ‘a / one’. It agrees in gender and number with the noun.
Noun ami
Masculine singular noun meaning ‘friend’.
Question mark
In spoken French the intonation rises; in writing you can also use “Est‑ce que … ?” or inversion.
🗨In Conversation
Je peux amener un ami ?
Can I bring a friend?
Oui, bien sûr ! Il sera le bienvenu.
Yes, of course! He’ll be welcome.
✕Common Mistakes
Je peux emmener un ami ?
“Emmener” means ‘to take someone away from here’, while “amener” means ‘to bring someone here’. Use “amener” when you’re asking to bring a friend to the host’s place.
Je peux amener un ami ?
Learners sometimes forget to conjugate the modal verb and say “Je peux amener…”. The correct form is “Je peux” (first‑person singular).
Je peux amener un ami ? (referring to a female friend)
If the friend is female, you must change the article and noun to the feminine form.
↔Alternatives
Est‑ce que je peux amener un ami ?
Can I bring a friend?
Puis‑je amener un ami ?
May I bring a friend?
Je pourrais amener un ami, si ça ne vous dérange pas.
I could bring a friend, if that’s okay with you.
Cultural Tip
In French‑speaking cultures it’s considered courteous to ask the host before bringing a guest, especially for meals or private gatherings. If the event is formal, you might also specify who the friend is (e.g., “un ami de la famille”). Using the polite “puis‑je” or adding “s’il vous plaît” can make the request sound more refined.