Inklingo
← Dictionary
Two small, triumphant figures standing on the colorful, rounded summit of a high mountain, raising their arms in celebration against a bright blue sky.

pudimos

poo-DEE-mos

VerbA2irregular er
we were able to?successful achievement,we managed to?overcoming difficulty
Also:we succeeded in?formal achievement,we couldn't?when used with 'no'

Quick Reference

infinitivepoder
gerundpudiendo
past Participlepodido

📝 In Action

Después de tres horas, finalmente pudimos abrir la caja.

A2

After three hours, we finally managed to open the box.

No pudimos comprar entradas porque se agotaron.

A2

We weren't able to buy tickets because they sold out.

Si no fuera por tu ayuda, no lo pudimos haber hecho.

B1

If it weren't for your help, we couldn't have done it.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • Pudimos salir adelante – We were able to get ahead/overcome it
  • Pudimos resolver el problema – We managed to solve the problem

💡 Grammar Points

The Power of the Preterite

"Pudimos" is used when you are talking about a specific instance in the past where you succeeded or failed (if using 'no') to do something. It shows a completed action or outcome.

Irregular Stem

The verb 'poder' (to be able to) is very irregular in the past. Notice how the stem changes from 'pod-' to 'pud-' in this tense: 'pude, pudiste, pudo, pudimos'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Pudimos vs. Podíamos

Mistake: "Using 'Podíamos ir' when you mean 'We successfully went and came back' (e.g., 'We managed to go to the concert')."

Correction: Use 'Pudimos ir' to emphasize the successful action. 'Podíamos' means you had the *general ability* to go, but doesn't confirm you actually went.

⭐ Usage Tips

Past Failure

When you say 'No pudimos' (We couldn't), it means you tried and failed in that specific moment. This is the most common use of the preterite tense of 'poder'.

🔄 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/pudiese
yopudiera/pudiese
túpudieras/pudieses
ellos/ellas/ustedespudieran/pudiesen
nosotrospudiéramos/pudiésemos
vosotrospudierais/pudieseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: pudimos

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'pudimos' to mean 'We successfully finished the race'?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

If 'pudimos' means 'we were able to,' how do I say 'we could see the mountain' (describing a general scene)?

You should use the imperfect tense: 'Podíamos ver la montaña.' Use 'podíamos' when describing an ongoing past state or ability, and 'pudimos' when focusing on a single successful event.

Is 'pudimos' always used for achievements?

Yes, it signals that an attempt was made and either succeeded ('Pudimos...') or failed ('No pudimos...'). If you simply want to talk about having the capacity without trying, use 'podíamos'.