Mastering the 'Poder' Conjugation Chart in Spanish

The Spanish verb ‘poder,’ meaning ‘to be able to’ or ‘can,’ is a fundamental and versatile verb that is used to express ability, permission, and potential. Understanding the conjugation of ‘poder’ across different tenses and moods is essential for effective communication in Spanish. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the conjugation chart of ‘poder’ in detail, providing a thorough understanding of its usage.

• Poder in the Present Tense
• Poder in the Preterite Tense
• Poder in the Imperfect Tense
• Poder in the Future Tense
• Poder in the Conditional Tense
• Poder in the Subjunctive Mood
• Common Phrases with Poder
• Conclusion

Poder in the Present Tense

In the present tense, ‘poder’ follows a regular conjugation pattern for ‘-er’ verbs:

Person	Spanish
I can	Yo puedo
You (informal) can	Tú puedes
He/She/It can/You (formal) can	Él/Ella/Usted puede
We can	Nosotros/Nosotras podemos
You (plural, informal) can	Vosotros/Vosotras podéis
They can/You (plural, formal) can	Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes pueden

Poder in the Preterite Tense

In the preterite tense, used to describe completed actions in the past, ‘poder’ has an irregular conjugation:

Person	Spanish
I could	Yo pude
You (informal) could	Tú pudiste
He/She/It could/You (formal) could	Él/Ella/Usted pudo
We could	Nosotros/Nosotras pudimos
You (plural, informal) could	Vosotros/Vosotras pudisteis
They could/You (plural, formal) could	Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes pudieron

Poder in the Imperfect Tense

In the imperfect tense, used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, ‘poder’ follows a regular conjugation pattern:

Person	Spanish
I could	Yo podía
You (informal) could	Tú podías
He/She/It could/You (formal) could	Él/Ella/Usted podía
We could	Nosotros/Nosotras podíamos
You (plural, informal) could	Vosotros/Vosotras podíais
They could/You (plural, formal) could	Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes podían

Poder in the Future Tense

In the future tense, used to express actions that will happen in the future, ‘poder’ follows a regular conjugation pattern:

Person	Spanish
I will be able to	Yo podré
You (informal) will be able to	Tú podrás
He/She/It will be able to/You (formal) will be able to	Él/Ella/Usted podrá
We will be able to	Nosotros/Nosotras podremos
You (plural, informal) will be able to	Vosotros/Vosotras podréis
They will be able to/You (plural, formal) will be able to	Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes podrán

Poder in the Conditional Tense

In the conditional tense, used to express actions that would occur under certain conditions, ‘poder’ follows a regular conjugation pattern:

Person	Spanish
I could	Yo podría
You (informal) could	Tú podrías
He/She/It could/You (formal) could	Él/Ella/Usted podría
We could	Nosotros/Nosotras podríamos
You (plural, informal) could	Vosotros/Vosotras podríais
They could/You (plural, formal) could	Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes podrían

Poder in the Subjunctive Mood

In the subjunctive mood, used to express doubt, desire, or uncertainty, ‘poder’ follows a regular conjugation pattern:

Person	Spanish
I can	Yo pueda
You (informal) can	Tú puedas
He/She/It can/You (formal) can	Él/Ella/Usted pueda
We can	Nosotros/Nosotras podamos
You (plural, informal) can	Vosotros/Vosotras podáis
They can/You (plural, formal) can	Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes puedan

Common Phrases with Poder

1. Puedo ayudarte con tu tarea: I can help you with your homework.
2. ¿Puedes venir a la fiesta?: Can you come to the party?
3. No pueden salir sin permiso: They cannot go out without permission.

Conclusion

Mastering the conjugation of ‘poder’ is vital for effective communication in Spanish. By understanding its conjugation across different tenses and moods, you can express abilities, permissions, and possibilities accurately. Practice regularly to internalize the conjugations and enhance your proficiency in the Spanish language. ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)