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Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-04-16 08:40:05 -05:00

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# 12. The Verb "Poder"
> Source: [A Complete Guide To Every Fundamental In Spanish](https://youtube.com/watch?v=YHDZSHCt1DE&t=2633s)
`Poder` means "to be able to" / "can." It's a stem-changing verb (o → ue) and one of the most useful verbs in Spanish because it pairs with any infinitive to express possibility.
## Key Rules
- `poder` is a stem-changing verb: **o → ue** in the singular and 3rd-person plural forms (the "boot").
- The `nosotros` and `vosotros` forms keep the original `o` (`podemos`, `podéis`).
- Endings still follow the regular `-er` pattern.
- Use `poder + infinitive` to express ability or possibility: *Yo puedo hablar español.*
## Conjugation: poder (present indicative)
| Pronoun | Form |
|---------|------|
| yo | puedo |
| tú | puedes |
| él / ella / usted | puede |
| nosotros | podemos |
| vosotros | podéis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | pueden |
The "boot" pattern: `puedo / puedes / puede / pueden` change the stem; `podemos / podéis` stay regular.
## Examples
| Spanish | English |
|---------|---------|
| Yo puedo hablar español. | I can speak Spanish. |
| Tú puedes aprender inglés. | You can learn English. |
| Él puede ayudar. | He can help. |
| Nosotros podemos ir. | We can go. |
| Ellos pueden llamar por teléfono. | They can call by phone. |
| ¿Puedes ayudarme? | Can you help me? |
| No puedo dormir. | I can't sleep. |
## Notes & Gotchas
- The stem change applies **only** in the "boot" forms — never in `nosotros`/`vosotros`.
- Always follow `poder` with an **infinitive** (unchanged verb): `puedo hablar`, not `puedo hablo`.
- `poder` doesn't take a preposition before the infinitive (no `a`, no `que`).
- Other common stem-changing verbs follow the same boot pattern (e.g., `dormir` o → ue, `querer` e → ie).