Memorize “Poder” conjugations in the Preterite (Past) Tense effortlessly. Our unique loop-based audio helps you absorb verb forms naturally—just like native speakers. Tap to play and start memorizing 10x faster now!
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Conjugation Chart of “Poder” (to be able to) in the Preterite (Past) Tense
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | pude |
| Tú | pudiste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | pudo |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | pudimos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | pudisteis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | pudieron |
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Understanding the Preterite (Past) Tense of “Poder”
The preterite of poder is used to express when you were able to do something at a specific moment in the past. For example, when you want to say “I was able to finish the project yesterday” – “Pude terminar el proyecto ayer.”
This is an irregular verb in the preterite tense. The stem changes to ‘pud-‘ throughout all forms, making it essential to memorize these unique conjugations.
How to Use Poder in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of poder indicates specific instances of being able to do something.
To be able to/can: Describes successfully accomplishing something, for example Pude terminar el proyecto (I was able to finish the project), or No pudieron llegar a tiempo (They weren’t able to arrive on time).
Real Life Examples of Poder in the Preterite (Past) Tense
No pude dormir anoche. (I couldn’t sleep last night.)
¿Pudiste terminar el proyecto? (Were you able to finish the project?)
Al fin pudimos resolver el problema. (We were finally able to solve the problem.)
No pudo llegar a tiempo. (He/she couldn’t arrive on time.)
Pudieron escapar del peligro. (They were able to escape from danger.)
¿Cómo pudiste hacerlo tan rápido? (How were you able to do it so quickly?)
Por fin pude comprender el tema. (I was finally able to understand the topic.)
No pudimos contactarte ayer. (We couldn’t contact you yesterday.)
Pudo superar todos los obstáculos. (He/she was able to overcome all obstacles.)
Pudieron ganar el campeonato. (They were able to win the championship.)
¿Pudiste ver la película? (Were you able to watch the movie?)
No pudo asistir a la reunión. (He/she couldn’t attend the meeting.)
Pudimos encontrar una solución. (We were able to find a solution.)
Finalmente pudieron comprar su casa. (They were finally able to buy their house.)
Pude terminar el trabajo a tiempo. (I was able to finish the work on time.)
Conjugation Chart with English Translations
Conjugations of Poder (to be able to) in the Preterite (Past) Tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo pude | I was able to |
| Tú pudiste | You were able to |
| Él / Ella / Usted pudo | He / She / You (formal) was able to |
| Nosotros / Nosotras pudimos | We were able to |
| Vosotros / Vosotras pudisteis | You all were able to |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes pudieron | They / You all (formal) were able to |
This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.