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SpanishConjugationImperfect

Poder (to be able to) · Imperfect

By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated

Poder in the Spanish imperfect (pretérito imperfecto) is: yo podía, tú podías, él/ella/usted podía, nosotros/as podíamos, vosotros/as podíais, ellos/ellas/ustedes podían. The imperfect of poder describes ongoing past ability without confirming a specific outcome: 'podía hablar tres idiomas' = 'I could speak three languages (back then)'. It contrasts with the preterite 'pude', which implies the ability was actually exercised.

poder conjugation in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)
To Be AblePoder
I used to be able
yo podía
you used to be able
tú podías
he/she used to be able
él/ella/usted podía
we used to be able
nosotros/as podíamos
you used to be able
vosotros/as podíais
they used to be able
ellos/ellas/ustedes podían
Examples

Poder (to be able to) in context

Sentences that use poder in the imperfect. Tap each to hear it.

De pequeño, podía dormir hasta tarde.

When I was little, I could sleep in late.

Podías correr más rápido cuando eras joven.

You could run faster when you were young.

Mi abuelo podía recitar poemas enteros.

My grandfather could recite entire poems.

Podíamos ver el mar desde la ventana.

We could see the sea from the window.

Podíais quedaros hasta más tarde antes.

You used to be able to stay later before.

Los pájaros podían anidar en este árbol.

The birds could nest in this tree.

Tip

Working with the imperfect

The imperfect paints the background of a past scene: weather, age, habits, descriptions, ongoing actions that get interrupted. "Era de noche" (it was nighttime), "tenía cinco años" (I was five years old), "iba al parque cuando me llamaste" (I was going to the park when you called me). Only three verbs are irregular in the imperfect — ser (era), ir (iba), and ver (veía). Every other Spanish verb is regular here, which makes the imperfect one of the easiest tenses to learn.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do you conjugate poder in the imperfect?
Poder is regular in the imperfect: yo podía, tú podías, él/ella/usted podía, nosotros/as podíamos, vosotros/as podíais, ellos/ellas/ustedes podían. The accent on 'í' is required in every form. The o→ue stem change doesn't apply in the imperfect — it only affects the present and subjunctive.
When do I use 'podía' instead of 'pude'?
Use 'podía' for ongoing past ability or descriptions: 'Cuando era joven, podía correr maratones' (When I was young, I could run marathons — habitual). Use 'pude' for a specific completed attempt: 'Ayer pude correr cinco kilómetros' (Yesterday I managed to run five kilometres). The imperfect describes the capacity; the preterite confirms its use.
What does 'podía haber + participle' mean?
'Podía haber + past participle' (or its conditional twin 'podría haber + participle') means 'could have done X': 'Podía haber ido' (I could have gone). It expresses past possibility that may or may not have been realized. The participle stays invariable; the auxiliary haber agrees with the speaker. Use it for regret, criticism, or speculation about the past.
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More tenses of Poder (To Be Able To)

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Poder (to be able to) · Preterite
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Poder (to be able to) · Subjunctive

More verbs in imperfect

All tenses
Poder (to be able to)
imperfect
Ser (to be)
imperfect
Estar (to be)
imperfect
Tener (to have)
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