pudiese
poo-DYAY-say
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Si yo pudiese viajar, iría a Japón.
B1If I could travel, I would go to Japan.
Ella dudaba que él pudiese terminar el proyecto a tiempo.
B2She doubted that he would be able to finish the project on time.
Me gustaría que usted pudiese venir a la reunión.
B2I would like it if you could come to the meeting (formal).
💡 Grammar Points
Hypothetical Situations (The 'If' Sentence)
Use 'pudiese' in the 'if' part of a sentence (the condition) when talking about something unlikely or contrary to fact: 'Si yo pudiese, lo haría' (If I could, I would do it).
Expressing Wishes in the Past
You use this form after expressions of wanting or wishing when the main action happened in the past: 'Esperaba que él me pudiese ayudar' (I hoped that he could help me).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Subjunctive and Conditional
Mistake: "Using 'podría' instead of 'pudiese' in the conditional clause: 'Si yo podría ir, te avisaría.'"
Correction: The correct pattern for 'if' sentences is 'Si [pudiese], [podría]': 'Si yo pudiese ir, te avisaría.' (If I could go, I would let you know.)
⭐ Usage Tips
The Dual Form
Spanish has two imperfect subjunctive forms: 'pudiese' (the -se form) and 'pudiera' (the -ra form). They mean exactly the same thing and are interchangeable in most regions!
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pudiese
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'pudiese' to express a condition?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'pudiese' more formal than 'pudiera'?
Not really. Both 'pudiese' and 'pudiera' are grammatically perfect and mean the same thing. In some regions, one form is slightly more common, but you can use either one confidently in writing and speaking.