Poder Conjugation: Puedo, Pude, Podría and Every Tense (Chart)

Poder means "can" or "to be able to." It's an o→ue stem-changing verb in the present (puedo, puedes, puede, podemos, podéis, pueden) with an irregular preterite stem pud- (pude, pudo) and a shortened future stem podr- (podré, podría).

Poder Conjugation Chart

Indicative: present, preterite and imperfect

Future, conditional and present perfect

Subjunctive

Commands (imperative)

Gerund: pudiendo (estoy pudiendo) · Past participle: podido (he podido)

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What Makes Poder Irregular

Poder has three separate irregularities:

• o→ue in the present when the stem is stressed: puedo, puedes, puede, pueden, but podemos, podéis. The present subjunctive follows the same split: pueda, puedas, but podamos.
• Preterite stem pud-: pude, pudiste, pudo, pudimos, pudisteis, pudieron, with no accents.
• Future and conditional stem podr-: podré, podrás, podría, podrías.

The gerund is also irregular, pudiendo, but the participle is regular: podido. Poder is almost always followed by an infinitive: puedo ir, podemos hablar.

How to Use Poder

Poder covers ability, permission and possibility:

• Ability: No puedo abrir la puerta (I can't open the door).
• Permission: ¿Puedo sentarme aquí? (May I sit here?).
• Polite requests usually use the conditional: ¿Podrías ayudarme? (Could you help me?).
• Possibility: Puede que llueva (It might rain), always followed by the subjunctive.

In the past, the tense choice changes the meaning. Pude means "I managed to" and no pude means "I failed to": No pude dormir (I couldn't get to sleep). Podía describes general ability: De joven podía correr diez kilómetros.

For learned skills, Spanish often prefers saber: Sé nadar (I know how to swim), rather than puedo nadar.

Common Expressions With Poder

Poder in Example Sentences

• ¿Puedes repetirlo, por favor? (Can you repeat that, please?)
• Por fin pudimos hablar con el director. (We finally managed to talk to the director.)
• Antes podía comer de todo. (I used to be able to eat anything.)
• Mañana no podré ir a clase. (I won't be able to go to class tomorrow.)
• ¿Podría traerme la cuenta? (Could you bring me the check?)
• Ojalá puedas venir a la boda. (I hope you can come to the wedding.)

Common Mistakes With Poder

• "Podo" instead of puedo. The stressed o changes to ue.
• "Puedemos" instead of podemos. Nosotros and vosotros keep the o.
• "Podió" or "pudió" instead of pudo. The preterite third person is pudo, with no accent.
• Adding "de" or "a." It's puedo hablar, not "puedo de hablar."

Frequently Asked Questions

Is poder a stem-changing verb?

Yes. Poder changes o to ue in the present indicative and subjunctive, except for nosotros and vosotros (puedo, puedes, puede, podemos, podéis, pueden).

What is the preterite of poder?

Pude, pudiste, pudo, pudimos, pudisteis, pudieron. In the preterite, poder usually means "managed to" (or "failed to" in the negative).

What is the difference between pude and podía?

Pude refers to a specific successful attempt (Pude terminar: I managed to finish). Podía describes general ability in the past (Podía correr rápido: I could run fast).

What is the conditional of poder?

Podría, podrías, podría, podríamos, podríais, podrían. It's the standard way to make a polite request: ¿Podrías ayudarme?

Keep Practicing

The quiz under the chart mixes pronouns and tenses from every table. For more practice, these guides pair well with poder:

• Saber Conjugation: Sé, Supe, Sabía and Every Tense (Chart)
• Volver Conjugation: Vuelvo, Volví, Vuelto and Every Tense (Chart)
• Spanish Subjunctive Made Simple: A Complete Guide
• Imperfect Or Preterite A Guide to Spanish Past Tenses