The verb poder is irregular and its stem changes to pued- in most forms (except nosotros and vosotros). It also includes pod- in certain tenses such as the preterite. Poder is followed by an infinitive when expressing what someone can or cannot do.
Usage and Meaning
- Ability: Expresses what someone is able to do.
- No puedo nadar.* (I can’t swim.)
- Permission: Asks for or gives permission.
- ¿Puedo entrar?* (May I come in?)
- Possibility: Indicates that something is possible.
- Puede llover mañana.* (It might rain tomorrow.)
Translate the Spanish sentence 'Puede llover mañana.' into English.
It might rain tomorrow.
'Puede llover mañana.' means 'It might rain tomorrow.' The verb 'poder' here expresses possibility ('may' or 'might'), and 'llover' means 'to rain.'
Complete Conjugation Table
The following includes the most common tenses and moods, with example sentences.
| Tense | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Indicative | Yo puedo, tú puedes, él puede, nosotros podemos, vosotros podéis, ellos pueden | I can, you can, he can, we can, you all can, they can |
| Preterite Indicative | Yo pude, tú pudiste, él pudo, nosotros pudimos, vosotros pudisteis, ellos pudieron | I was able, you were able, he was able, we were able, you all were able, they were able |
| Imperfect Indicative | Yo podía, tú podías, él podía, nosotros podíamos, vosotros podíais, ellos podían | I could / was able, used to be able |
| Future Indicative | Yo podré, tú podrás, él podrá, nosotros podremos, vosotros podréis, ellos podrán | I will be able |
| Conditional | Yo podría, tú podrías, él podría, nosotros podríamos, vosotros podríais, ellos podrían | I would be able |
| Present Subjunctive | Yo pueda, tú puedas, él pueda, nosotros podamos, vosotros podáis, ellos puedan | (It’s possible) that I can, you can, etc. |
Irregular Forms to Remember
- The stem changes to pued- or pod- depending on tense.
- In the subjunctive, stem changes to pued- (no change in nosotros/vosotros).
Stem Changes Overview
| Tense | Stem Form | Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Indicative | pued- (except nos/vos) | Yo puedo, nosotros podemos | I can, we can |
| Present Subjunctive | pued- (except nos/vos) | Que yo pueda, que nosotros podamos | That I can, that we can |
| Preterite | pod- | Yo pude, ellos pudieron | I was able, they were able |
| Imperfect Indicative | pod- + ending ia | Yo podía, tú podías | I was able, you were able |
| Future | podr- | Yo podré, él podrá | I will be able, he will be able |
| Conditional | podr- | Yo podría, ellos podrían | I would be able, they would be able |
Additional Sentences with Examples
- No puedo ir al cine. (I can’t go to the movies.)
- ¿Puedes ayudarme? (Can you help me?)
- Ella puede cantar muy bien. (She can sing very well.)
- Podemos salir temprano. (We can leave early.)
- ¿Pudiste estudiar anoche? (Were you able to study last night?)
- Poder + infinitive is always used to describe the action you can/do/can’t do.
Complete this sentence: 'Ella puede ______ muy bien.' (sing)
cantar
'Poder' is always followed by the infinitive form of the verb that describes the action. Here, 'cantar' (to sing) is correct.
Flashcards (1 of 12)
- Tense: Present Indicative
- English Example: I can, you can, he can, we can, you all can, they can
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
