HOW DO WE SAY “COULD” IN SPANISH?

Delving into the world of Spanish involves encountering the fascinating realm of verb conjugations and their various tenses.

Take for example the variations “pude,” “podía,” and “podría,” which all mean “I could” in English but have unique usage. Of course, the same level of complexity applies to other persons, like “she could”, “we could” or “they could”.
This post will help you understand and use these forms correctly, equipping you with the knowledge to navigate the enchanting realm of Spanish effortlessly.

PUDE (SIMPLE PAST)

“Yo pude” is “I could” in the simple past. This tense is used to express completed actions in the past. When you say “yo pude,” you are confirming that you were able to do something at a specific point in the past:

Ayer, pude terminar mi proyecto.

Yesterday, I could (was able to) finish my project.

La semana pasada, pude ver a mis amigos.

Last week, I could (was able to) see my friends.

These examples show that “pude”, “pudiste” (you could) or “pudimos” (we could), for that matter, refer to specific instances where you successfully completed an action or were able to do something.

PODÍA (IMPERFECT PAST)

“Podía” is “I could” in the imperfect tense. This form is used to express an ability or possibility that existed in the past. It’s like when we see the past as several points in time or as a line in time:

Cuando era niño, podía correr rápido.

When I was a child, I could (I was able, I used to be able to) run fast.

En la escuela, podía hacer muchos amigos.

In school, I could (I was able, I used to be able to) make many friends.

In these examples, “podía”, “podías” (you could) or “podíamos” (we could), for that matter, indicate abilities or possibilities that were true during a certain period in the past.

PODRÍA (CONDITIONAL)

“Podría,” on the other hand, is the conditional form of “poder.” It translates to “I could” in a hypothetical sense or as a polite suggestion. This form is used to indicate potential actions or situations that depend on certain conditions, or in order to make a request:

Si tuviera tiempo, podría ir al cine.

If I had time, I could (I would be able to) go to the movies.

¿Podría ayudarte con tu tarea?

Could I (Might I) help you with your homework?

In these sentences, “podría” suggests possibilities that are contingent on other factors or situations, or a polite request.

IN SHORT

Pude
(preterite tense)
Completed actions or abilities at a specific moment in the past.
Podía
(imperfect tense)
Abilities or possibilities in the past over a period of time.
Podría
(conditional tense)
Hypothetical situations or polite suggestions

TIPS!

PUDE: You confirm that you successfully did something at a specific time in the past.

PODÍA: Think of “podía” as relating to your past experiences or skills over time, or when you see something as going on, instead than as a point in time.

PODRÍA: Use “podría” when discussing what you might do under certain conditions or when you want to make polite suggestions.

IMPORTANT: In real life, rules are not so fixed, so you might use pude, podía or podría in the same sentence, depending on how you view the same event: a point in time, a line in time, a request, a condition?

Enough theory for now! Let’s play this game so you become an expert on how to say “could” in Spanish!

DÓNDE: WHERE

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PRIMERA: FIRST (SINGULAR FEMININE)

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VIVIR: TO LIVE

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HACER: TO DO, TO MAKE

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HABLAR: TO SPEAK, TO TALK

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NEGRO: BLACK

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CONTRA: AGAINST

POR: (IN THIS CASE) BECAUSE OF

DESEMPEÑO: PERFORMANCE

CANCHA: SPORTS FIELD OR COURT

mejorar: to improve, to get better

prescripción/receta: prescription

 

nariz tapada: stuffy nose

¿has notado?: have you noticed?

hace: ago

estornudar: to sneeze

blanco: white

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iré: I will go

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ya: already

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tabla de madera: wooden board

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gripe: flu

¿cómo te llamas?: what’s your name? (lit. “how do you call yourself?”)

 

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ciudadano: citizen

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en resumen: in short

convertirse en: to become

responsabilidad: responsibility

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ley: law (pl. leyes)

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proponer: to propose

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población: 1. population / 2. town, settlement

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representante: representative

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Cámara de Representantes: House of Representatives

subir y bajar: to get on and off (a vehicle)

máquina expendedora: vending machine

vez: time (frequency)

disculpa (tú), disculpe (usted), disculpen (ustedes): excuse me

encontrarse: to meet, to get together

plazo fijo: fixed-term deposit

 

deuda: debt

a largo plazo: in the long term

hipoteca: mortgage

siempre: always

Check: Adverbs of Frequency in a Snap!

ahorros: savings

financiero: financial

guardar: to save, to put away

la bolsa: the stock market

invertir: to invest

he tenido: I have had

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¿has estado viendo…?: have you been seeing?

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inversión: investment

medir: to measure

así como: as well as

mientras tanto: meanwhile, in the meantime

un rato: a little while, a bit

también: also, too

depósito: warehouse, stockroom

patrón: boss, chief

conocer: to know, to meet, to visit for the first time

Check: My First ER Verbs in a Snap!

tarjeta de crédito: credit card

pagar: to pay

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hijo: son / hija: daughter

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necesitar: to need

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salir: to go out, to leave

Check: My First IR Verbs in a Snap!

viajar: to travel

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me gustaría: I’d like

sin: without

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manteca, mantequilla: butter

desayunar: to have breakfast

estar listo: to be ready

esperar: to expect, to hope, to wait for

recién exprimido: freshly squeezed

medialuna: croissant, crescent roll

 

huevos revueltos: scrambled eggs

endulzante: sweetener

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té de hierbas: herbal tea

llevaré: I will take

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¿quieres que envuelva…?: do you want me to wrap?

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¿cuántos? ¿cuántas?: how many?

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adorno: ornament

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hemos llegado: we have arrived

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vuelo: flight

alquilar, rentar: to rent

conductor: driver

estadía, estancia: stay

volver a hacer algo: to do something again

disponible: available

respecto a, con respecto a: regarding

estadounidense: American

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el más cercano: the nearest

El supermercado más cercano. (The nearest supermarket).

cada vez más: increasingly, more and more

 

transeúnte: passerby, pedestrian

de nuevo, nuevamente, otra vez: again

variedad: variety

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ubicar: to locate

bastante: quite, rather, pretty

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esquina: corner (street)

cuadra: block (street)

de primera: top-notch, first-rate, premium

rico: rich/tasty

acabar de hacer algo: to have just done something

¡claro que sí!: of course!, certainly!

maduro: ripe

semanal: weekly

emocionado: excited

amable: kind, polite

recibo: receipt

recoger: to pick, to pick up, to fetch

Check: My Fisrt Er Verbs in a Snap!

en la pantalla: on the screen

introduzca su tarjeta: insert your card

Check: The Imperative Mood in a Snap!

No, thank you. I do not want.
100% secure your website.

lector: reader

one-way ticket: boleto de ida

boleto de ida y vuelta: return ticket, two-way ticket

quedarse: to stay

para mí: for me

verificar: to verify

disponibilidad: availability

fecha: date

boleto: ticket (subway, train, bus)

compra: purchase

ojalá: I hope, I wish

Check: How the Heck Do We Use “Ojalá”?

gracias por: thanks for, thank you for

When learning Spanish, many people mistakenly say “gracias para”.

bolsa: shopping bag

bolso: travelling bag

bolsita: small bag, little bag

Check: Making Things Smaller and Bigger in Spanish!

funcionar: to work (indicating that something is operational and fulfilling its intended purpose)

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hasta tres píldoras por día: up to three pills per day

doler: to ache

grave: severe, serious

receta médica: prescription, medical prescription

dolor de cabeza: headache

analgésico: painkiller

buscar: to look for, to search, to seek

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barrio: neighborhood

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segundo: second

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estoy a tu entera disposición: “I am at your complete disposal”, “I am entirely at your service”.

 

buena onda: good vibe, positive energy

deber: (in this case) to owe

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esperar que: to hope that

 

agregar/añadir: to add

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genial: great, awesome

probar: to taste, to try

riquísimo: very tasty, incredibly tasty

¡se me hace agua la boca! (idiom): 

“It looks incredible”, “I can practically taste it”.

“It’s so tempting”, “I want a bite right now”.

“It’s mouthwatering”, “I’m really craving it”.

“It’s irresistible”, “I need to try it immediately”.

“It looks so delicious”, “I’m drooling over it”.

untar: to spread (a soft or liquid substance onto something, such as butter or jam on bread).

brindar: (in this case) to provide, to offer, to supply, to serve

¿qué le gustaría (a usted)?: what would you like?

We can use the verb “gustar” in the conditional mood to show respect and politeness.

Check: The Simple Conditional in a Snap!

espinaca: spinach

¿podrías (tú)? ¿podría (usted)?: could you?

The verb “poder” (can) in the conditional mood can be used to show respect or politeness.
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cenar: to have dinner

NACER: TO BE BORN

Check My First Er Verbs in a Snap!

panera: bread basket

gaseosa: soda

queso rallado: grated cheese

casero: homemade

cumplir: to turn (age)

Example: “He turned 60” / “Cumplió 60 años”.

salir primero: to finish first, to come first

varios, varias: several

hacer un gol: to score a goal

comenzar a hacer algo/empezar a hacer algo: to start to do something

deportista: sportsman, sportswoman

jugador de fútbol: soccer player

erguido: standing tall

recuerdos: memories

doblarse: (in this context) to bend

perder todas las partidas: to lose every single game

el diablo pasa la factura: the devil comes to demand payment

los sueños se me rompen en pedazos: my dreams shatter into pieces

poner a alguien contra la pared: to back someone into a corner

mantenerse en pie: to stay on one’s feet

junco: reed

cuando se me cierren las salidas: (lit.) when my exits are closed

It means “”when my options run out”.

dejar en paz: to leave alone, to let someone be

cuando en mi moneda salga cruz: when my coin shows tails

In this case, it means “in difficult times”.

amenazar: to threaten

apuñalar: to stab

rendirse: to give up, to call it quits

endurecer: to harden

hierro: iron

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resistiré: I will resist

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cuando: when

 

desigual: (in this case) unfair, uneven, bad

Dios: God

carnaval: carnival

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nadie: nobody, no one

Check: Spanish Negatives in a Snap!

contagiar: to infect

maltratar: to mistreat

pecar: to sin

tan sólo: just, only

solo: alone

quejarse: to complain

gozar: to enjoy, to rejoice

se van: they go away

penas: sorrows, woes, hardships

hay que: we have to/one has to

Check: What Is “Hay Que”?

todo aquel: whoever

Check: How Do We Say “Whoever” in Spanish?

seguir: to follow / to continue

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creer: to believe

varios: several

América: The Americas

Check What Is “América” in Spanish?

para que: so, so that

Check: “Para Que” in a Snap! 

 

proveer: to provide with

cuidar: to take care

cuidar a alguien: to take care of someone

pertenecer: to belong

latinoamericana: Latin American (singular feminine)

Check: Uppercase in English, Lowercase in Spanish!

vida nocturna: nightlife

acuerdo: agreement

cada cuatro años: every four years

sur: south

norte: north

cordillera: mountain range

Check: Basic Spanish Geography in a Snap!

afrontar algo: to face something

tratar de: to try to

negar: to deny

lidiar con: to deal with

incluso si: even if

¡sonríe!: smile!

Check: The Imperative Mood in a Snap!

mantener la buena onda: to keep a good mood

codazo amistoso: friendly nudge

“Al mal tiempo, buena cara”: “In bad times, good face”

dicho: saying

diversión: amusement

estrecho: narrow

este: east

bulliciosa: bustling

paisajes: landscapes

portuaria: port (feminine adjective)

Check Adjectives we don’t have in English!

mariscos: seafood

Naciones Unidas: United Nations

oeste: west

Check: The Four Directions and More!

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