podré
poh-DREH (stress on the last syllable)
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Cuando termine mi trabajo, podré ir contigo.
A2When I finish my work, I will be able to go with you.
Si gano la lotería, podré comprar una casa nueva.
B1If I win the lottery, I will be able to buy a new house.
¿A qué hora podré verte mañana?
A2What time will I be able to see you tomorrow?
💡 Grammar Points
The Irregular Future Stem
Even though poder ends in -er, it has an irregular future stem. Instead of using poder- and adding the ending, we use podr- (dropping the 'e'). This happens with many common verbs like tener (tendr-) and hacer (har-).
The Accent Mark
The accent on podré is essential. It tells you the stress falls on the final syllable, signaling the future tense. Without the accent, it wouldn't be a Spanish word.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Present Stem
Mistake: "Yo poderé (using the regular, non-stem-changed infinitive)"
Correction: Yo podré. Remember the stem change from 'poder' to 'podr-' before adding the future endings.
Confusing Tenses
Mistake: "Puedo ir contigo mañana. (Using present tense 'I can' for a strong future commitment.)"
Correction: Podré ir contigo mañana. While 'puedo' is sometimes used for the near future, 'podré' is clearer and more appropriate when confirming a future ability or plan.
⭐ Usage Tips
Expressing Future Capability
Use podré whenever you want to express that you will gain the ability to do something, or will have the opportunity to do it, at a later time.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: podré
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'podré'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the future tense of *poder* so irregular?
The future tense is irregular because the original infinitive *poder* was shortened in early Spanish to *podr-* to make it easier to say when combined with the endings. Other common verbs like *hacer* (haré) and *tener* (tendré) follow this same pattern.
Is it okay to use 'puedo' instead of 'podré' for the near future?
Yes, Spanish speakers often use the simple present tense (*puedo*) to talk about actions happening in the immediate future ('Esta noche puedo verte' — Tonight I can see you). However, *podré* is always correct and necessary for more distant or formal future commitments.