How to Say "we couldn't" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “we couldn't” is “pudimos” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Después de tres horas, finalmente pudimos abrir la caja.
After three hours, we finally managed to open the box.
No pudimos comprar entradas porque se agotaron.
We weren't able to buy tickets because they sold out.
Si no fuera por tu ayuda, no lo pudimos haber hecho.
If it weren't for your help, we couldn't have done it.
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'.
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.
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