poder
/poˈdeɾ/
In Spanish, poder means to be able to, can or might.
As a verb, poder expresses ability or permission, whereas the noun poder expresses authority or strength.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb changes based on the subject in the present indicative tense: puedo is the first-person singular (I can), puedes is the second-person singular (you can, informal), puede is the third-person singular (he/she/it can), podemos is the first-person plural (we can) and pueden is the third-person plural (they can). Additionally, the conditional form podría is used to express possibility or to make polite requests.
How do you pronounce it?
/poˈdeɾ/
Did you know?
- The phrase si Dios quiere often follows a statement using poder to express a future possibility, as it is culturally common to avoid claiming absolute power over the future.
- While poder means 'to be able', in a legal context, un poder is a physical document known as a 'power of attorney' that grants someone the legal right to act on another's behalf.
- The word poder is a distant cousin to the English word 'potent', as both share roots describing strength or ability.
Examples in context
- ¿Usted puede hablar español?Can you speak Spanish?
- No, lo siento, no puedo ir a la reunión.No, I'm sorry, I can't go to the meeting.
- ¿Puede usted ayudarme con este problema?Can you help me with this problem?
- ¿Puedes venir a mi fiesta?Can you come to my party?
- No puedo creer lo que acabo de ver.I can't believe what I just saw.
- ¡Puedo ayudarte con eso sin problemas!I can help you with that without any issues!
- ¿Che, podrías prestarme tu bicicleta?Hey, could you lend me your bike?
- No puedo másI can't take it anymore (I'm exhausted).
- No poder ir a la fiesta es una lástima.Not being able to go to the party is a shame.
- ¿Vas a poder terminar el informe hoy?Are you going to be able to finish the report today?
- Él quiere poder hablar español con fluidez.He wants to be able to speak Spanish fluently.
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are talking about their weekend plans.
- Sofía¿Vas a poder venir a mi cena?Will you be able to come to my dinner?
- DanielLo siento, no voy a poder ir.I'm sorry, I won't be able to go.
- Sofía¿Tienes mucho trabajo, Daniel?Do you have a lot of work, Daniel?
- DanielSí, necesito poder terminar este proyecto pronto.Yes, I need to be able to finish this project soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry poder, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries poder, CC BY-SA 4.0.
