Verb · irregular
poder
to be able to, can
The thing that catches people out
In the present, the o turns into ue everywhere except the we form: puedo, but podemos. Once you see it in poder you will recognise it in dormir, volver and contar.
Present
What happens, and what is happening now.
| yo | puedo | |
| tú | puedes | |
| él, ella, usted | puede | |
| nosotros | podemos | |
| ellos, ustedes | pueden | |
| vosotros, Spain only | podéis |
Preterite, the finished past
Something that happened and is over: yesterday, last year, once.
| yo | pude | |
| tú | pudiste | |
| él, ella, usted | pudo | |
| nosotros | pudimos | |
| ellos, ustedes | pudieron | |
| vosotros, Spain only | pudisteis |
Imperfect, the background past
What used to happen, or was going on when something else happened.
| yo | podía | |
| tú | podías | |
| él, ella, usted | podía | |
| nosotros | podíamos | |
| ellos, ustedes | podían | |
| vosotros, Spain only | podíais |
Future
Will do. In conversation, ir a plus the verb is more common: voy a comer.
| yo | podré | |
| tú | podrás | |
| él, ella, usted | podrá | |
| nosotros | podremos | |
| ellos, ustedes | podrán | |
| vosotros, Spain only | podréis |
Present perfect
Have done. Used far more in Spain, where it covers today; most of Latin America uses the preterite there.
| yo | he podido | |
| tú | has podido | |
| él, ella, usted | ha podido | |
| nosotros | hemos podido | |
| ellos, ustedes | han podido | |
| vosotros, Spain only | habéis podido |
Other forms
The -ing form, the form that follows he, has and ha, and how to tell someone to do it.
| -ing form | pudiendo | |
| participle | podido |
No command form in everyday use.
In a sentence
¿puede repetir?
could you repeat that?
hoy no puedo
I cannot today