Poder (to be able to) · Present
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Poder in the Spanish present (presente) is: yo puedo, tú puedes, él/ella/usted puede, nosotros/as podemos, vosotros/as podéis, ellos/ellas/ustedes pueden. The present of poder is the modal 'can' — followed by an infinitive: 'puedo nadar' (I can swim). The o→ue stem-change occurs in the stressed forms (yo, tú, él, ellos) but not in nosotros/vosotros.
| To Be Able | Poder |
|---|---|
| I can | yo puedo |
| you can | tú puedes |
| he/she can | él/ella/usted puede |
| we can | nosotros/as podemos |
| you can | vosotros/as podéis |
| they can | ellos/ellas/ustedes pueden |
Poder (to be able to) in context
Sentences that use poder in the present. Tap each to hear it.
I can help you with the homework.
Can you speak more slowly?
My son can already read on his own.
We can arrive at eight.
You can stay at home tonight.
The children cannot go out alone.
Working with the present
Spanish uses the present tense more broadly than English does. "Estudio español" can mean "I study Spanish," "I am studying Spanish," or "I do study Spanish" — context decides. The biggest stumbling block for English speakers is the yo form of irregular verbs (hago, tengo, doy, voy, soy). Memorise those individually; the other persons usually follow regular patterns.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate poder in the present tense?
What's an o→ue stem-changing verb?
How do I make polite requests with poder?
Practice Poder (To Be Able To) in real conversations
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