Meaning and Usage
The verb poder in Spanish means "can" or "to be able to," expressing ability or possibility. It's commonly used to indicate whether someone has the capability or permission to do something. As an irregular verb, poder changes its stem in some forms when conjugated.
Present Tense Conjugation
In the present tense, poder changes from "o" to "ue" in all forms except for nosotros and vosotros. This stem change is typical for many irregular verbs.
| Spanish Pronoun | Spanish Conjugation | English Conjugation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | puedo | I can | Yo puedo hablar español. | I can speak Spanish. |
| tú | puedes | you can (informal) | Tú puedes venir conmigo. | You can come with me. |
| él/ella/Ud. | puede | he/she/you can (formal) | Él puede correr rápido. | He can run fast. |
| nosotros | podemos | we can | Nosotros podemos ayudar. | We can help. |
| vosotros | podéis | you all can (informal) | Vosotros podéis entrar. | You all can enter. |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pueden | they/you all can | Ellos pueden leer bien. | They can read well. |
Past Tense (Preterite) Conjugation
In the preterite, poder is irregular and changes its stem to "pud-". It is used to express that someone was able or managed to do something at a specific time.
| Spanish Pronoun | Spanish Conjugation | English Conjugation | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | pude | I could | Yo pude terminar temprano. | I could finish early. |
| tú | pudiste | you could (informal) | Tú pudiste verlo. | You could see it. |
| él/ella/Ud. | pudo | he/she/you could | Ella pudo ganar la carrera. | She could win the race. |
| nosotros | pudimos | we could | Nosotros pudimos ayudar. | We could help. |
| vosotros | pudisteis | you all could (informal) | Vosotros pudisteis venir. | You all could come. |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pudieron | they/you all could | Ellos pudieron entrar. | They could enter. |
Subjunctive Mood
The present subjunctive of poder also uses the stem change "o -> ue" for all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
| Spanish Pronoun | Spanish Conjugation | English Equivalent | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | pueda | that I can | Espero que pueda ayudar. | I hope that I can help. |
| tú | puedas | that you can | Quiero que puedas venir. | I want you to be able to come. |
| él/ella/Ud. | pueda | that he/she/you can | Es necesario que pueda hacerlo. | It is necessary that he can do it. |
| nosotros | podamos | that we can | Ojalá que podamos salir. | Hopefully we can go out. |
| vosotros | podáis | that you all can | Espero que podáis venir. | I hope you all can come. |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | puedan | that they/you all can | No creo que puedan llegar a tiempo. | I don’t think they can arrive on time. |
Imperative (Commands)
The verb poder is rarely used in imperative form, but the subjunctive is sometimes employed to politely express permission or ability in commands:
- pueda (ud. command)
- podamos (nosotros command)
- podáis (vosotros command)
- puedan (uds. command)
Example:
Que puedas descansar. (May you be able to rest.)
Common Expressions with Poder
- No puedo – I can't / I am not able
- ¿Puedes...? – Can you...?
- Poder hacer algo – To be able to do something
- Poder con algo – To handle or cope with something
These expressions are very useful for everyday communication.
