pudieron
“pudieron” means “they were able to” in Spanish (Referring to a specific, completed past action).
they were able to, they managed to
Also: you could (formal plural)
📝 In Action
Ellos se alegraron cuando finalmente pudieron encontrar la salida.
A2They were happy when they finally managed to find the exit.
Los trabajadores no pudieron terminar la obra a tiempo.
B1The workers were not able to finish the job on time.
¿Ustedes pudieron asistir a la reunión de anoche?
A2Were you (formal plural) able to attend last night's meeting?
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pudieron
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'pudieron' (simple past) to express success?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb 'poder' comes from the Latin verb *posse*, meaning 'to be able.' This Latin root is a combination of *potis* (powerful) and *esse* (to be), showing that the idea of ability has long been tied to the idea of power or strength.
First recorded: 10th century (in Old Spanish)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'pudieron' so different from 'poder'?
'Pudieron' is an irregular form of 'poder' in the simple past (preterite). It changes its stem completely from 'pod-' to 'pud-'. You just have to memorize this change, as it's common in many essential Spanish verbs like 'hacer' (hicieron) and 'tener' (tuvieron).
What is the difference between 'pudieron' and 'podían'?
Both are past forms, but 'pudieron' (simple past) means 'they managed to' or 'they succeeded.' 'Podían' (descriptive past) means 'they had the ability to' or 'they could,' but it doesn't tell you if they actually tried or succeeded.