puedes
“puedes” means “you can” in Spanish (ability or permission).
you can
Also: you are able to, you may
📝 In Action
Tú puedes hablar español muy bien.
A1You can speak Spanish very well.
¿Puedes ayudarme con esto, por favor?
A1Can you help me with this, please?
Si terminas tu tarea, puedes jugar videojuegos.
A2If you finish your homework, you can play video games.
Puedes encontrar de todo en ese mercado.
B1You can find everything in that market.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: puedes
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence is the most natural way to ask a friend for a small favor?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'posse,' which meant 'to be able.' It's a combination of 'potis' (able) and 'esse' (to be). So, it literally means 'to be able.'
First recorded: Evolved from Vulgar Latin over 1000 years ago.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'puedes' and 'sabes'? They both seem to mean 'you can'.
Great question! Use 'puedes' for general ability or permission ('Puedes correr' - You can run). Use 'sabes' for knowing *how* to do a learned skill ('Sabes nadar' - You know how to swim). You wouldn't say 'sabes correr' because running isn't usually a skill you learn in the same way.