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pudieron

poo-dee-EH-rohn

Verb (Past Tense Form)A2Highly Irregular (Stem-Changing in Preterite) er

they were able to?Referring to a specific, completed past action,they managed to?They succeeded in doing something

Also:you could (formal plural)?Referring to a group of Ustedes

Quick Reference

infinitivepoder

gerundpudiendo

past Participlepodido

📝 In Action

Ellos se alegraron cuando finalmente pudieron encontrar la salida.

They were happy when they finally managed to find the exit.

Los trabajadores no pudieron terminar la obra a tiempo.

The workers were not able to finish the job on time.

¿Ustedes pudieron asistir a la reunión de anoche?

Were you (formal plural) able to attend last night's meeting?

Word Connections

Synonyms

lograron (they achieved)
consiguieron (they obtained/managed)

Antonyms

fracasaron (they failed)
no pudieron (they were unable to)

Common Collocations

pudieron hacerlo – they were able to do it
pudieron salir – they managed to leave

💡 Grammar Points

Meaning of the Simple Past (Preterite)

'Pudieron' refers to a single, completed action in the past. It means that the ability existed AND the action was successfully carried out or attempted at a specific point in time.

Irregular Stem Change

The base verb 'poder' changes its stem from 'pod-' to 'pud-' in the simple past (preterite) tense. This is why you see 'pudieron' instead of 'podieron'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Preterite vs. Imperfect

Mistake: "Using 'podían' when you mean they succeeded: 'Los atletas podían ganar la carrera.'"

Correction: Use 'pudieron' to show success: 'Los atletas pudieron ganar la carrera.' ('Podían' only means they had the potential to win, not that they actually did.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Focus on Achievement

Think of 'pudieron' as translating closer to 'managed to' or 'succeeded in' rather than just 'were able to,' especially when talking about something difficult.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: pudieron

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'pudieron' (simple past) to express success?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

poder(to be able to; power) - verb/noun

pude(I was able to) - verb

posible(possible) - adjective

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.