Inklingo
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A happy character, standing in a kitchen, holding a glass jar with the lid successfully loosened and slightly ajar, symbolizing achievement.

pude

POO-deh

VerbA2irregular er
I was able to?successfully completed an action,I could?had the ability and succeeded,I managed to?succeeded despite difficulty
Also:I couldn't / I failed to?used in negative sentences (no pude)

Quick Reference

infinitivepoder
gerundpudiendo
past Participlepodido

📝 In Action

Finalmente pude abrir el frasco.

A2

I was finally able to open the jar.

No pude llamarte porque mi teléfono no tenía batería.

A2

I couldn't call you because my phone had no battery.

Después de tres intentos, pude resolver el problema.

B1

After three tries, I managed to solve the problem.

Gracias a tu ayuda, pude terminar a tiempo.

B1

Thanks to your help, I was able to finish on time.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • logré (I achieved / I managed)
  • conseguí (I got / I succeeded in)

Common Collocations

  • no pude evitarlo – I couldn't help it
  • pude ver – I was able to see / I could see
  • no pude más – I couldn't take it anymore

💡 Grammar Points

Pude vs. Podía: Action vs. Situation

Use 'pude' for a specific, completed action in the past ('I managed to open the jar'). Use 'podía' to describe an ongoing ability or situation ('When I was young, I could run fast'). 'Pude' is like a snapshot; 'podía' is like a video.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Pude' for General Past Abilities

Mistake: "Cuando era niño, pude nadar muy bien."

Correction: For ongoing abilities in the past, use 'podía': 'Cuando era niño, podía nadar muy bien.' Use 'pude' for one-time achievements: 'Ayer, por fin pude nadar hasta la isla.'

⭐ Usage Tips

Showing Success

'Pude' doesn't just mean 'I had the ability'—it strongly implies 'I succeeded.' Saying 'Pude levantar la caja' means 'I was able to (and did) lift the box.'

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedpuede
yopuedo
túpuedes
ellos/ellas/ustedespueden
nosotrospodemos
vosotrospodéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedpodía
yopodía
túpodías
ellos/ellas/ustedespodían
nosotrospodíamos
vosotrospodíais

preterite

él/ella/ustedpudo
yopude
túpudiste
ellos/ellas/ustedespudieron
nosotrospudimos
vosotrospudisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedpueda
yopueda
túpuedas
ellos/ellas/ustedespuedan
nosotrospodamos
vosotrospodáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedpudiera
yopudiera
túpudieras
ellos/ellas/ustedespudieran
nosotrospudiéramos
vosotrospudierais
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: pude

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'pude' to talk about a specific, completed action?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'pude' and 'podía'?

'Pude' is for a specific, completed action (I managed to do it). 'Podía' is for a general ability or an ongoing situation in the past (I used to be able to do it). Think of 'pude' as 'I succeeded' and 'podía' as 'I had the ability'.

How do I say 'I couldn't'?

You just add 'no' before it: 'no pude'. For example, 'No pude ir a la fiesta' means 'I couldn't go to the party'.