pudiste
“pudiste” means “you were able to” in Spanish (Focus on a past ability that was used).
you were able to, you managed to
Also: you succeeded in
📝 In Action
Pensé que el examen era difícil, pero ¿pudiste aprobarlo?
A2I thought the exam was difficult, but were you able to pass it?
Gracias por la ayuda. Sin ti, no pudiste arreglar el coche.
B1Thanks for the help. Without you, you wouldn't have been able to fix the car.
Llegué tarde a la tienda, pero ¿pudiste comprar el pan?
A2I arrived late to the store, but did you manage to buy the bread?
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pudiste
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'pudiste' to describe a successful action in the past?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb 'poder' comes directly from the Latin verb *potēre*, meaning 'to be able, to be powerful.' The irregular 'u' stem in the past tense (*pudiste*) developed early in Spanish.
First recorded: Before the 10th century (as *poder*)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'pudiste' so different from the present tense 'puedes'?
The verb 'poder' is highly irregular, especially in the simple past tense (Preterite). It uses a special stem, 'pud-', which doesn't follow the usual rules. You just have to memorize that the 'u' sound appears when talking about specific past abilities.
Is 'pudiste' formal or informal?
'Pudiste' is the 'tú' form, which is the informal way of saying 'you' in most Spanish-speaking regions. If you are speaking formally or to an older person, you should use 'pudo' (the Usted form).