What does poder mean in English?

Poder means "to be able/can" in English.

How do you conjugate poder in Spanish?

Poder is conjugated across all Spanish tenses including present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, subjunctive, and more. Each tense has specific conjugations for yo, tú, él/ella/usted, nosotros, vosotros, and ellos/ustedes. You can see complete conjugation tables with audio pronunciations on this page.

What are common idiomatic expressions with poder?

Common idiomatic expressions using poder include: "no poder con" (to be unable to handle / to be too much for), "no poder más" (to be exhausted / to be at one's limit), "puede ser" (maybe / it could be). These expressions are frequently used in everyday Spanish conversation.

What should I know about using poder?

Poder is a highly irregular verb and one of the most common modal verbs in Spanish

What verbs are related to poder?

Verbs related to poder include: capacitar. These verbs share similar meanings, stems, or conjugation patterns.

How do you use poder in a sentence?

Example: "¿Puedes ayudarme con esto?" which means "Can you help me with this?" in English.

What are synonyms for poder?

Spanish synonyms for poder include: conseguir, lograr, ser capaz de. The exact synonym to use depends on the context and specific meaning intended.

Poder

to be able/can

🎯

Infinitive (infinitivo)

Base form of the verb

poder

🏃

Gerund (gerundio)

Present participle (-ing form)

pudiendo

📋

Past Participle

Used in compound tenses

podido

Simple Tenses

⚡

Present Indicative (presente de indicativo)

Present actions and habitual activities

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	puedo I be able/can	I be able/can
tú	puedes you be able/can	you be able/can
él/ella/usted	puede he/she/you be able/cans	he/she/you be able/cans
nosotros	podemos we be able/can	we be able/can
vosotros	podéis you all be able/can	you all be able/can
ellos/ustedes	pueden they/you all be able/can	they/you all be able/can

🕰️

Imperfect Indicative (imperfecto de indicativo)

Ongoing past actions and descriptions

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	podía I used to be able/can	I used to be able/can
tú	podías you used to be able/can	you used to be able/can
él/ella/usted	podía he/she/you used to be able/can	he/she/you used to be able/can
nosotros	podíamos we used to be able/can	we used to be able/can
vosotros	podíais you all used to be able/can	you all used to be able/can
ellos/ustedes	podían they/you all used to be able/can	they/you all used to be able/can

📅

Preterit (pretérito)

Completed past actions

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	pude I be able/caned	I be able/caned
tú	pudiste you be able/caned	you be able/caned
él/ella/usted	pudo he/she/you be able/caned	he/she/you be able/caned
nosotros	pudimos we be able/caned	we be able/caned
vosotros	pudisteis you all be able/caned	you all be able/caned
ellos/ustedes	pudieron they/you all be able/caned	they/you all be able/caned

🔮

Future (futuro)

Future actions and intentions

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	podré I will be able/can	I will be able/can
tú	podrás you will be able/can	you will be able/can
él/ella/usted	podrá he/she/you will be able/can	he/she/you will be able/can
nosotros	podremos we will be able/can	we will be able/can
vosotros	podréis you all will be able/can	you all will be able/can
ellos/ustedes	podrán they/you all will be able/can	they/you all will be able/can

🎯

Conditional (potencial simple)

Hypothetical and conditional actions

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	podría I would be able/can	I would be able/can
tú	podrías you would be able/can	you would be able/can
él/ella/usted	podría he/she/you would be able/can	he/she/you would be able/can
nosotros	podríamos we would be able/can	we would be able/can
vosotros	podríais you all would be able/can	you all would be able/can
ellos/ustedes	podrían they/you all would be able/can	they/you all would be able/can

💭

Present Subjunctive (presente de subjuntivo)

Subjective present actions and desires

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	pueda that I be able/can	that I be able/can
tú	puedas that you be able/can	that you be able/can
él/ella/usted	pueda that he/she/you be able/can	that he/she/you be able/can
nosotros	podamos that we be able/can	that we be able/can
vosotros	podáis that you all be able/can	that you all be able/can
ellos/ustedes	puedan that they/you all be able/can	that they/you all be able/can

🌙

Imperfect Subjunctive (imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Subjective past actions and hypothetical situations

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	pudiera or pudiese that I be able/caned	that I be able/caned
tú	pudieras or pudieses that you be able/caned	that you be able/caned
él/ella/usted	pudiera or pudiese that he/she/you be able/caned	that he/she/you be able/caned
nosotros	pudiéramos or pudiésemos that we be able/caned	that we be able/caned
vosotros	pudierais or pudieseis that you all be able/caned	that you all be able/caned
ellos/ustedes	pudieran or pudiesen that they/you all be able/caned	that they/you all be able/caned

Compound Tenses

✅

Present Perfect (perfecto de indicativo)

Actions completed recently or with present relevance

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	he podido I have be able/caned	I have be able/caned
tú	has podido you have be able/caned	you have be able/caned
él/ella/usted	ha podido he/she/you have be able/caned	he/she/you have be able/caned
nosotros	hemos podido we have be able/caned	we have be able/caned
vosotros	habéis podido you all have be able/caned	you all have be able/caned
ellos/ustedes	han podido they/you all have be able/caned	they/you all have be able/caned

⏪

Pluperfect Indicative (pluscuamperfecto de indicativo)

Actions completed before another past action

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	había podido I had be able/caned	I had be able/caned
tú	habías podido you had be able/caned	you had be able/caned
él/ella/usted	había podido he/she/you had be able/caned	he/she/you had be able/caned
nosotros	habíamos podido we had be able/caned	we had be able/caned
vosotros	habíais podido you all had be able/caned	you all had be able/caned
ellos/ustedes	habían podido they/you all had be able/caned	they/you all had be able/caned

📍

Preterit Perfect (pretérito anterior)

Actions completed immediately before another past action

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	hube podido I had be able/caned	I had be able/caned
tú	hubiste podido you had be able/caned	you had be able/caned
él/ella/usted	hubo podido he/she/you had be able/caned	he/she/you had be able/caned
nosotros	hubimos podido we had be able/caned	we had be able/caned
vosotros	hubisteis podido you all had be able/caned	you all had be able/caned
ellos/ustedes	hubieron podido they/you all had be able/caned	they/you all had be able/caned

🎊

Future Perfect (futuro perfecto)

Actions that will be completed by a future time

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	habré podido I will have be able/caned	I will have be able/caned
tú	habrás podido you will have be able/caned	you will have be able/caned
él/ella/usted	habrá podido he/she/you will have be able/caned	he/she/you will have be able/caned
nosotros	habremos podido we will have be able/caned	we will have be able/caned
vosotros	habréis podido you all will have be able/caned	you all will have be able/caned
ellos/ustedes	habrán podido they/you all will have be able/caned	they/you all will have be able/caned

🔄

Conditional Perfect (potencial compuesto)

Actions that would have been completed under certain conditions

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	habría podido I would have be able/caned	I would have be able/caned
tú	habrías podido you would have be able/caned	you would have be able/caned
él/ella/usted	habría podido he/she/you would have be able/caned	he/she/you would have be able/caned
nosotros	habríamos podido we would have be able/caned	we would have be able/caned
vosotros	habríais podido you all would have be able/caned	you all would have be able/caned
ellos/ustedes	habrían podido they/you all would have be able/caned	they/you all would have be able/caned

💫

Subjunctive Present Perfect (perfecto de subjuntivo)

Subjective actions completed in relation to the present

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	haya podido that I have be able/caned	that I have be able/caned
tú	hayas podido that you have be able/caned	that you have be able/caned
él/ella/usted	haya podido that he/she/you have be able/caned	that he/she/you have be able/caned
nosotros	hayamos podido that we have be able/caned	that we have be able/caned
vosotros	hayáis podido that you all have be able/caned	that you all have be able/caned
ellos/ustedes	hayan podido that they/you all have be able/caned	that they/you all have be able/caned

🌌

Subjunctive Past Perfect (pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Subjective actions completed before another past action

Person	Conjugation	English
yo	hubiera podido that I had be able/caned	that I had be able/caned
tú	hubieras podido that you had be able/caned	that you had be able/caned
él/ella/usted	hubiera podido that he/she/you had be able/caned	that he/she/you had be able/caned
nosotros	hubiéramos podido that we had be able/caned	that we had be able/caned
vosotros	hubierais podido that you all had be able/caned	that you all had be able/caned
ellos/ustedes	hubieran podido that they/you all had be able/caned	that they/you all had be able/caned

❗

Commands (imperativo)

Commands and direct orders

Person	Command	English
tú	pode	be able/can! (you)
usted	poda	be able/can! (you formal)
nosotros	podamos	let's be able/can!
vosotros	poded	be able/can! (you all)
ustedes	podan	be able/can! (you all)

🚫

Negative Commands (imperativo negativo)

Negative commands and prohibitions

Person	Command	English
tú	no podas	don't be able/can! (you)
usted	no poda	don't be able/can! (you formal)
nosotros	no podamos	let's not be able/can!
vosotros	no podáis	don't be able/can! (you all)
ustedes	no podan	don't be able/can! (you all)

More About "poder"

Idiomatic Expressions

no poder con

to be unable to handle / to be too much for

💡 Expressing that something is overwhelming or too difficult

no poder más

to be exhausted / to be at one's limit

💡 When someone has reached their physical or emotional limit

puede ser

maybe / it could be

💡 Expressing possibility or uncertainty

a más no poder

to the utmost / as much as possible

💡 Doing something to the maximum degree

no poder ver a alguien

to not be able to stand someone

💡 Expressing strong dislike for a person

Examples in Context

¿Puedes ayudarme con esto?

Can you help me with this?

Present

No pude ir a la fiesta anoche.

I couldn't go to the party last night.

Preterite

Podría hacerlo si tuviera más tiempo.

I could do it if I had more time.

Conditional

He podido terminar el proyecto.

I have been able to finish the project.

Present Perfect

Podremos viajar el próximo año.

We will be able to travel next year.

Future

Related Verbs

capacitar(to enable, train)

related concept - to enable/empower

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms:

conseguir(to manage, succeed)

Emphasizes successful achievement

lograr(to manage, achieve)

More formal, emphasizes accomplishment

ser capaz de(to be capable of)

Emphasizes ability or capacity

Usage Notes

•Poder is a highly irregular verb and one of the most common modal verbs in Spanish
•Used to express ability, possibility, permission, or potential
•Stem changes: e→ue in present (puedo, puedes) and o→u in preterite (pude)
•The conditional "podría" is commonly used for polite requests
•Cannot be used in imperative form - use "poder" constructions instead
•Often followed by infinitive: poder + infinitive (puedo hablar = I can speak)
•In preterite, "pude" emphasizes successful completion, while "podía" (imperfect) emphasizes ability
•Common in weather expressions: puede llover (it might rain)

Continue Learning

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Poder

Simple Tenses

Compound Tenses

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