French Phrase
On peut arrêter le réchauffement climatique ?
Meaning
Literally, ‘Can we stop global warming?’ The sentence is a rhetorical or genuine inquiry about the feasibility of halting the rise in Earth’s average temperature.
When to use
Use this question in discussions about climate policy, environmental activism, classroom debates, or any conversation where you want to challenge the possibility of reversing climate change.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onpeutarrêterleréchauffementclimatique?
On (impersonal pronoun)
‘On’ is an indefinite pronoun that can mean ‘we’, ‘people’, or ‘one’ in a general sense.
peut (present of pouvoir)
The verb ‘pouvoir’ expresses ability or possibility; here it is conjugated in the third‑person singular present.
Infinitive after pouvoir
When ‘pouvoir’ is followed by another verb, the second verb stays in the infinitive (arrêter).
Definite article le
‘Le’ specifies the noun phrase ‘réchauffement climatique’ as a known, global phenomenon.
Question inversion
In spoken French the intonation can turn a statement into a question, but written French often uses inversion (Peut‑on…) or a question mark after a declarative order.
🗨In Conversation
On peut arrêter le réchauffement climatique ?
Can we stop global warming?
C’est difficile, mais chaque geste compte : réduire les émissions, développer les énergies renouvelables…
It’s hard, but every action counts: cutting emissions, developing renewable energy…
✕Common Mistakes
peut on arrêter le réchauffement climatique ?
In written French the verb and pronoun must be hyphenated (Peut‑on) when using inversion.
On peut arrêter le changement climatique ?
‘Changement climatique’ is a different noun; pairing it with ‘arrêter’ sounds odd—use ‘stopper’ or keep ‘réchauffement’ if you want to talk about temperature rise.
On peut arrêter réchauffement climatique ?
Don’t omit the article ‘le’; it is required before the noun phrase.
↔Alternatives
Peut‑on stopper le réchauffement climatique ?
Can we stop global warming?
Est‑il possible d’arrêter le réchauffement climatique ?
Is it possible to stop global warming?
Sommes‑nous capables d’arrêter le réchauffement climatique ?
Are we capable of stopping global warming?
Cultural Tip
In French media the term ‘changement climatique’ is often preferred over ‘réchauffement climatique’ when referring to the broader set of climate‑related changes. ‘Réchauffement’ emphasizes temperature rise, while ‘changement’ includes sea‑level rise, extreme weather, etc. Choose the term that matches the nuance you need, and keep the register slightly formal when discussing policy.