poder present tense conjugation
Poder (to be able to/can) in the present tense: puedo, puedes, puede, podemos, podéis, pueden.
Presente Present
| yo | regular: podo |
|---|---|
| tú | regular: podes |
| él/ella/usted | regular: pode |
| nosotros | |
| vosotros | |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | regular: poden |
ending regular · irr breaks the pattern · tap a form to hear it
When to use the present tense
The present (presente de indicativo) describes what happens now, what happens regularly, and fixed facts. It is also used for the near future: “Mañana salgo a las ocho.”
How it is formed
Regular endings attach to the stem (infinitive minus -ar/-er/-ir): -ar → o, as, a, amos, áis, an; -er → o, es, e, emos, éis, en; -ir → o, es, e, imos, ís, en.
Poder is irregular here. 4 of 6 forms break the pattern (dark tiles above); the regular pattern would give podo, podes, pode, poden.
Poder in a sentence
- Puedo ayudarte con esto.I can help you with this.
- No pudieron llegar a tiempo.They couldn't arrive on time.
Stem-changing (o→ue); irregular preterite stem 'pud-'; followed by infinitive.
FAQ
What is the present tense of poder?
Poder in the Spanish present tense: yo puedo, tú puedes, él/ella/usted puede, nosotros podemos, vosotros podéis, ellos/ellas/ustedes pueden.
Is poder irregular in the present tense?
Yes. 4 of 6 forms break the regular pattern: yo puedo (regular would be podo); tú puedes (regular would be podes); él/ella/usted puede (regular would be pode); ellos/ellas/ustedes pueden (regular would be poden).
When do you use the Spanish present tense?
The present (presente de indicativo) describes what happens now, what happens regularly, and fixed facts. It is also used for the near future: “Mañana salgo a las ocho.”
How is the present tense formed?
Regular endings attach to the stem (infinitive minus -ar/-er/-ir): -ar → o, as, a, amos, áis, an; -er → o, es, e, emos, éis, en; -ir → o, es, e, imos, ís, en.
Full poder conjugation, all tenses →
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