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.)
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. |
How do you say 'They can' in Spanish using the present indicative form of poder?
Ellos pueden.
'Pueden' is the correct third-person plural form in the present indicative. The stem is 'pued-' and the ending is '-en.' Other options are irregular and do not exist.
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).
Why do the nosotros and vosotros forms in the present tense of poder not use the stem 'pued-'?
Because stem-changing verbs in Spanish do not change the vowel in these two plural forms.
In Spanish, stem-changing verbs (like poder) do not undergo their stem vowel changes in the nosotros and vosotros forms, so 'pod-' is used instead of 'pued-.'
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.
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
