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SPANISH VERB

poder

can, to be able to

  • #5 most used
  • Irregular -er verb
  • Gerund: pudiendo
  • Past participle: podido

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. yo I can
  2. tú you can
  3. usted, él, ella he/she can
  4. nosotros we can
  5. vosotros Spain you all can
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they can

Past

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

  1. yo I could
  2. tú you could
  3. usted, él, ella he/she could
  4. nosotros we could
  5. vosotros Spain you all could
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they could

Imperfect

Pretérito imperfecto · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. yo I could
  2. tú you could
  3. usted, él, ella he/she could
  4. nosotros we could
  5. vosotros Spain you all could
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they could

Future

Futuro · plans and promises; in speech, “voy a hablar” is just as common

  1. yo I will be able to
  2. tú you will be able to
  3. usted, él, ella he/she will be able to
  4. nosotros we will be able to
  5. vosotros Spain you all will be able to
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they will be able to

Conditional

Condicional · “would”

  1. yo I can
  2. tú you can
  3. usted, él, ella he/she can
  4. nosotros we can
  5. vosotros Spain you all can
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they can

Present subjunctive

Presente de subjuntivo · wishes, doubts, “que …”

  1. yo (that) I can
  2. tú (that) you can
  3. usted, él, ella (that) he/she can
  4. nosotros (that) we can
  5. vosotros Spain (that) you all can
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas (that) they can

Past subjunctive

Imperfecto de subjuntivo · “if I were”, “si …”

  1. yo I could
  2. tú you could
  3. usted, él, ella he/she could
  4. nosotros we could
  5. vosotros Spain you all could
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they could

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders; a negative one uses the subjunctive (no hables)

  1. tú
  2. usted
  3. nosotros
  4. vosotros Spain
  5. ustedes

How to use poder

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    ¿Puedes ayudarme con las bolsas?

    Can you help me with the bags?

  2. Past

    No pude dormir por el ruido de la calle.

    I couldn't sleep because of the street noise.

  3. Imperfect

    De joven podía correr diez kilómetros sin cansarme.

    When I was young I could run ten kilometers without getting tired.

  4. Future

    ¿Podrás venir a cenar el jueves?

    Will you be able to come to dinner on Thursday?

  5. Conditional

    ¿Podría traerme otro vaso de agua, por favor?

    Could you bring me another glass of water, please?

  6. Present subjunctive

    Espero que puedan venir todos a la posada.

    I hope you can all come to the posada.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Si pudiera, viviría en la playa.

    If I could, I would live at the beach.

  8. Imperative

    Puede más que tu flojera y ve al gimnasio.

    Beat your laziness and go to the gym.

Good to know

  • ¿Puedo pasar? and ¿Me puede ayudar? are how you ask for permission or help.

Where you hear poder

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Spanish · Beginner Level 1

  • Hoy no puedo ir a la playa. Today I can't go to the beach.
  • Ayer no pude llamarte. Yesterday I couldn't call you.
  • Mañana vas a poder surfear. Tomorrow you're going to be able to surf.

Spanish · Beginner Level 2

  • ¿Podemos subir? Can we climb up?
  • No pude dormir anoche. I couldn't sleep last night.
  • Vas a poder regresar cuando quieras. You'll be able to come back whenever you want.
21
What Are You Going to Do?

Beginner Level 1 · puedo · ¿Puedo? · puedes · no puedo

Needs a subscription 23
A Table for Three

Beginner Level 1 · podemos

Needs a subscription 26
Can You Hear Me?

Beginner Level 1 · ¿Puedes repetir?

Needs a subscription 17
Two Thousand Years Ago

Beginner Level 2 · ¿Podemos subir?

Needs a subscription 28
On the One Hand

Beginner Level 2 · se puede

Needs a subscription 2
You Have to Lie Diagonally

Beginner Level 3 · ¿se puede…? · se pueden

Free 3
What Will You Do?

Beginner Level 3 · podrá · podré · podremos

Needs a subscription 6
Could You Recommend Something?

Beginner Level 3 · ¿podría…? · podríamos · podrías

Needs a subscription 10
A Call from Oaxaca

Beginner Level 3 · podrás

Needs a subscription 21
Seven Colours

Beginner Level 3 · pueda

Needs a subscription 23
Plans for Christmas

Beginner Level 3 · puedas

Needs a subscription 26
When I Go Back

Beginner Level 3 · si puedo

Needs a subscription

And 12 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -er verb.