Sentences with Poder: Conjugation and Examples

In the Spanish language, the verb “poder” is widely used to express the ability or possibility to do something.

This verb is highly versatile and can be used in various tenses and moods to convey different meanings.

In this post, we will explore the different ways “poder” can be used in sentences.

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Sentences with Poder: (Can)

Present Tense: “Poder” is often used in the present tense to express ability or possibility in the present moment. For example:

SPA	Yo puedo hablar Español
EN	I can speak Spanish

SPA	¿Puedes ayudarme?
EN	Can you help me?

SPA	Ella puede ayudarme con la tarea
EN	She can help me with my homework

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Sentences with Poder: (Be Able to)

Future Tense: “Poder” can also be used in the future tense to express possibility or potential. For example:

SPA	Mañana podré ir al cine
EN	Tomorrow I will be able to go to the cinema

SPA	Yo podré manejar muy pronto
EN	I will be able to drive very soon

SPA	¿Podrás venir a la fiesta?
EN	Will you be able to come to the party?

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Sentences with Poder: (Could)

Conditional Tense: The conditional tense of “poder” is used to express the ability or possibility of an action in hypothetical situations. For example;

SPA	Podría comprar un coche si tuviera suficiente dinero
EN	I could buy a car if I had enough money.

SPA	Podría viajar más si tuviera un trabajo más flexible
EN	I could travel more if I had a more flexible job

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Uses of Poder

Expressing Ability: One of the most common ways to use “poder” in Spanish is to express ability or capability.

This usage implies that the subject is capable of performing an action or has the ability to do so. Here are some examples:

SPA	Yo puedo hablar español
EN	I can speak Spanish.)

SPA	Él puede tocar la guitarra.
EN	He can play the guitar.

SPA	Nosotros podemos correr muy rápido.
EN	We can run very fast.

Expressing Possibility: Another way to use “poder” is to express possibility. This usage implies that something is possible, but not certain or guaranteed.

Here are some examples:

SPA	Tal vez pueda ir al cine mañana.
EN	Maybe I can go to the movies tomorrow

SPA	¿Crees que pueda llover hoy?
EN	Do you think it can rain today?

SPA	Quizás puedan venir a visitarnos este fin de semana.
EN	Maybe they can come to visit us this weekend.

Expressing Permission: “Poder” can also be used to express permission. This usage implies that someone is allowed to do something. Here are some examples:

SPA	¿Puedo ir al baño, por favor?
EN	Can I go to the bathroom, please?

SPA	Los niños pueden jugar en el parque.
EN	The children can play in the park.

SPA	You can’t enter without permission.
EN	No puedes entrar sin permiso.

Expressing Impossibility: Although “poder” is often used to express ability and possibility, it can also be used to express impossibility.

This usage implies that something is not possible. Here are some examples:

SPA	No puedo volar como un pájaro.
EN	I can’t fly like a bird.

SPA	Él no puede vivir sin agua.
EN	He can’t live without water.

SPA	No podemos viajar en el tiempo.
EN	We can’t travel through time.

Expressing a Hypothetical Situation: Finally, “poder” can also be used to express a hypothetical situation or scenario.

This usage implies that something could happen under certain conditions. Here are some examples:

SPA	Si estudias mucho, podrás sacar buenas notas.
EN	If you study a lot, you can get good grades.

SPA	Si hubiera más tiempo, podríamos terminar el proyecto.
EN	If there were more time, we could finish the project.

SPA	Si no hubiera tráfico, podríamos llegar a tiempo.
EN	If there weren’t any traffic, we could arrive on time.

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