"May I know who you are?"

Translation: Puis-je savoir qui vous êtes ?

[TeardropExplodes]

Puis je savoir qui êtes vous? not allowed, any ideas why?

[TommyTrude1]

so in french, in a question, we only switch the subject of the sentence (Je, in this case) with the main verb (Puis, (pouvoir)) and the rest of the sentence is the complement.

The sentence in a neutral form would be like:

Je / peux / savoir qui vous êtes

Subject / verb / complement

The sentence in a question form is:

Puis- / je / savoir qui vous êtes

Verb / subject / complement

[Eric836651]

I did the same and would like to understand how this type of sentences should be constructed. Thanks.

[CourtneyKM]

Can't you use connaiser? :/

[AvaZurita]

Connaître means more along the lines of personally knowing someone/something, vs savior which is to know of someone or something.

Here is a helpful article on the difference: https://www.frenchtoday.com/blog/french-vocabulary/savoir-versus-connaitre-the-verb-to-know-in-french

[Sandy243237]

Je peux and then Puis-je .
I am having trouble understanding puis and not peux, can someone please explain

[TommyTrude1]

That change only happens with that specific verb, in that specific tense, with that specific pronoun. Peux-je really doesn't sound good, so it is only for a phonetic purpose. It is an exception

[Sandy243237]

thanks so much, very helpful