pouvaient

/pu.vɛ/pouvoir
1.
verbInd3rdImpPlur3

could; were able to (past ability or possibility)

were allowed to; had permission to

Ils ne savaient pas qu'ils pouvaient le faire.

They didn't know they could do it.

Synonyms:étaient capables de, avaient la possibilité de, étaient autorisés à
pouvaient - French Definition & Examples