English Translation
Could you please lift that box?
Interesting, I am not sure if this is really true (soulever vs porter vs prendre), but Gemini says:
"Pourriez-vous soulever cette boîte ?" is grammatically correct.
However, you should be careful with the context because soulever has a very specific meaning in French that might not match what you actually want the person to do.
1. The Meaning of Soulever (The “Weight” Test)
Soulever means to lift something up (usually to test its weight or to look underneath it), but it does not imply moving it to another location.
- Context: If you point to a heavy box and say “Pourriez-vous soulever cette boîte ?”, the person might lift it two inches off the ground, put it back down, and say “Yes, I can.”
- English Equivalent: “Can you raise/heft this box?”
2. If you want them to “Carry” it
If your goal is to ask someone to move the box from point A to point B, you should use porter.
Pourriez-vous porter cette boîte ? (Could you carry this box?)
3. If you want them to “Pick it up” (from the floor)
If the box is on the floor and you want them to pick it up so they are holding it:
Pourriez-vous prendre cette boîte ? (Could you take/pick up this box?)