poder
“poder” means “to be able to” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
to be able to, can
Also: to manage to
📝 In Action
Yo puedo hablar español.
A1I can speak Spanish.
Ella no pudo venir a la fiesta.
A2She wasn't able to come to the party.
Nosotros podemos levantar la mesa juntos.
A1We can lift the table together.
may, can
📝 In Action
¿Puedo ir al baño, por favor?
A1May I go to the bathroom, please?
¿Puedes pasarme la sal?
A1Can you pass me the salt?
¿Podría ayudarme?
A2Could you help me?
may, might, could
📝 In Action
Puede llover más tarde.
A2It might rain later.
El tren puede llegar con retraso.
B1The train could arrive late.
Puede que no sea la mejor idea.
B1It may not be the best idea.
power
Also: ability, power of attorney
📝 In Action
El conocimiento es poder.
B1Knowledge is power.
El presidente tiene mucho poder.
B1The president has a lot of power.
Ella tiene el poder de cambiar las cosas.
B2She has the ability to change things.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: poder
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'poder' to mean 'power' as a noun?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Vulgar Latin word '*potēre*', which itself is a simplified version of the classical Latin word 'posse', meaning 'to be able'. It's related to words like 'potent' and 'potential' in English.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'poder' and 'saber'?
Great question! 'Poder' is about ability or permission ('can'). For example, 'No puedo levantar eso' (I can't lift that - I'm not strong enough). 'Saber' is about knowing how to do something, a learned skill. For example, 'No sé nadar' (I don't know how to swim).
Why does the stem of 'poder' change so much (puedo, pude, podré)?
Poder is one of Spanish's most common and oldest verbs, and these types of verbs often have irregular forms that have stuck around from Latin. The changes seem random at first, but you'll see them in other verbs too! The 'o' changing to 'ue' (like in 'puedo') is a common pattern, as is the completely different stem in the preterite ('pude') and future ('podré'). With practice, they'll become second nature.
Is it 'Yo puedo a...' or 'Yo puedo...'?
It's always 'Yo puedo...' followed directly by the action. You don't need to add an 'a' or any other small word in between. Just say 'Puedo correr' (I can run), not 'Puedo a correr'.