Poder Conjugation in Portuguese
poder means “to be able to” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 9 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It is a modal verb meaning “to be able to” or “can”, and it is always followed by another verb in the infinitive: posso falar português. Its present forms are irregular — posso, podes, pode, podemos, podeis, podem — and its pretérito perfeito changes the stem completely: pude, pudeste, pôde, pudemos, pudestes, puderam. This page gives you the complete conjugation of poder — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Eu posso falar português todos os dias.” — “I can speak Portuguese.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: poder
- English: to be able to
- Verb type: Irregular -er verb
- Irregular in: presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo
- Gerund: podendo
- Present participle: —
- Past participle: podido
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -er verbs; pattern er in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for poder, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read poder in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about poder
- It is irregular in 8 tense(s): presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo. Learn those forms as a set instead of guessing them from the infinitive, because the stem changes in ways no rule predicts.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle podido. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The gerund is podendo and the past participle is podido: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. There is no present participle form listed for this verb in the verified tables. If you know those two forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for poder. Learn the present tense first, then the pretérito perfeito and the pretérito imperfeito, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | posso |
| tu | podes |
| ele/ela | pode |
| nós | podemos |
| vós | podeis |
| eles/elas | podem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu posso falar português todos os dias.” — “I can speak Portuguese”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pude |
| tu | pudeste |
| ele/ela | pôde |
| nós | pudemos |
| vós | pudestes |
| eles/elas | puderam |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu pude falar português ontem.” — “I could speak Portuguese”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | podia |
| tu | podias |
| ele/ela | podia |
| nós | podíamos |
| vós | podíeis |
| eles/elas | podiam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu podia falar português antigamente.” — “I used to be able to speak Portuguese”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pudera |
| tu | puderas |
| ele/ela | pudera |
| nós | pudéramos |
| vós | pudéreis |
| eles/elas | puderam |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples is used for an action completed before another past action; in everyday speech the compound form with tinha is more common. For example: “Eu pudera falar português antes do jantar.” — “I had been able to speak Portuguese”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | poderei |
| tu | poderás |
| ele/ela | poderá |
| nós | poderemos |
| vós | podereis |
| eles/elas | poderão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu poderei falar português amanhã.” — “I will be able to speak Portuguese”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | poderia |
| tu | poderias |
| ele/ela | poderia |
| nós | poderíamos |
| vós | poderíeis |
| eles/elas | poderiam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu poderia falar português um dia.” — “I would be able to speak Portuguese”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho podido |
| tu | tens podido |
| ele/ela | tem podido |
| nós | temos podido |
| vós | tendes podido |
| eles/elas | têm podido |
The pretérito perfeito composto is used for actions that started in the past and continue, or have been repeated, up to the present. For example: “Ele tem podido falar português esta semana.” — “He has been able to speak Portuguese”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha podido |
| tu | tinhas podido |
| ele/ela | tinha podido |
| nós | tínhamos podido |
| vós | tínheis podido |
| eles/elas | tinham podido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha podido falar português antes do jantar.” — “I had been able to speak Portuguese”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei podido |
| tu | terás podido |
| ele/ela | terá podido |
| nós | teremos podido |
| vós | tereis podido |
| eles/elas | terão podido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei podido falar português até amanhã.” — “I will have been able to speak Portuguese”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria podido |
| tu | terias podido |
| ele/ela | teria podido |
| nós | teríamos podido |
| vós | teríeis podido |
| eles/elas | teriam podido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria podido falar português ontem.” — “I would have been able to speak Portuguese”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | possa |
| tu | possas |
| ele/ela | possa |
| nós | possamos |
| vós | possais |
| eles/elas | possam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu possa falar português.” — “It is important that I be able to speak Portuguese”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pudesse |
| tu | pudesses |
| ele/ela | pudesse |
| nós | pudéssemos |
| vós | pudésseis |
| eles/elas | pudessem |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after que, and in se-clauses. For example: “Era importante que eu pudesse falar português.” — “It was important that I be able to speak Portuguese”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | puder |
| tu | puderes |
| ele/ela | puder |
| nós | pudermos |
| vós | puderdes |
| eles/elas | puderem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu puder falar português, é bom.” — “If I can speak Portuguese, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | pode |
| ele/ela | possa |
| nós | possamos |
| vós | podei |
| eles/elas | possam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Pode falar português!” — “Be able to speak Portuguese!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não possas |
| ele/ela | não possa |
| nós | não possamos |
| vós | não possais |
| eles/elas | não possam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não possas falar português.” — “Do not be able to speak Portuguese.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha podido |
| tu | tenhas podido |
| ele/ela | tenha podido |
| nós | tenhamos podido |
| vós | tenhais podido |
| eles/elas | tenham podido |
The presente do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a subordinate clause expressing doubt, wish or emotion. For example: “É importante que eu tenha podido falar português.” — “It is important that I have been able to speak Portuguese”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse podido |
| tu | tivesses podido |
| ele/ela | tivesse podido |
| nós | tivéssemos podido |
| vós | tivésseis podido |
| eles/elas | tivessem podido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse podido falar português.” — “It was important that I had been able to speak Portuguese”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver podido |
| tu | tiveres podido |
| ele/ela | tiver podido |
| nós | tivermos podido |
| vós | tiverdes podido |
| eles/elas | tiverem podido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver podido falar português, é bom.” — “If I have been able to speak Portuguese, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | podendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Podendo falar português, aprendo muito.” — “While being able to speak Portuguese, I learn a lot.”
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | podido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho podido falar português esta semana.” — “I have been able to speak Portuguese.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with poder, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu posso falar português todos os dias.” — “I can speak Portuguese”
- “Tu pudeste falar português ontem.” — “You could speak Portuguese”
- “Ele podia falar português antigamente.” — “He used to be able to speak Portuguese”
- “Eu poderei falar português amanhã.” — “I will be able to speak Portuguese”
- “Tu poderias falar português um dia.” — “You would be able to speak Portuguese”
- “Ele tem podido falar português esta semana.” — “He has been able to speak Portuguese”
- “Eu tinha podido falar português antes do jantar.” — “I had been able to speak Portuguese”
- “Tu terás podido falar português até amanhã.” — “You will have been able to speak Portuguese”
- “É importante que eu possa falar português.” — “It is important that I be able to speak Portuguese”
- “Pode falar português!” — “Be able to speak Portuguese!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu poder falar português.”
✓ Right: “Eu posso falar português todos os dias.”
The infinitive poder never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form posso.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu podes falar português.”
✓ Right: “Eu posso falar português todos os dias.”
podes is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with posso.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu posso falar português ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu pude falar português ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito pude for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou podido falar português.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho podido falar português esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of poder is formed with ter plus the past participle podido: the eu form is tenho podido. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “É importante que eu posso falar português.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu possa falar português.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use possa here, not the indicative posso.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho podendo falar português.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho podido falar português esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle podido, not the gerund podendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on poder. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of poder in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) podes
- B) posso
- C) pode
- D) podemos
What is the ele/ela form of poder in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) pude
- B) pudeste
- C) pôde
- D) pudemos
What is the nós form of poder in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) podia
- B) podias
- C) podíeis
- D) podíamos
What is the tu form of poder in the Futuro do presente?
- A) poderás
- B) poderei
- C) poderá
- D) poderemos
What is the eu form of poder in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) poderias
- B) poderia
- C) poderíamos
- D) poderíeis
What is the ele/ela form of poder in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho podido
- B) tens podido
- C) tem podido
- D) temos podido
What is the ele/ela form of poder in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) possas
- B) possamos
- C) possais
- D) possa
What is the eu form of poder in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) pudesse
- B) pudesses
- C) pudéssemos
- D) pudésseis
What is the gerund of poder?
- A) podido
- B) podendo
- C) poder
- D) posso
What does poder mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to be able to
- D) —
Answer key
- B) posso — the correct form is posso. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) pôde — the correct form is pôde. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) podíamos — the correct form is podíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) poderás — the correct form is poderás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) poderia — the correct form is poderia. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem podido — the correct form is tem podido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) possa — the correct form is possa. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) pudesse — the correct form is pudesse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) podendo — the correct form is podendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to be able to — the correct form is to be able to. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does poder mean in English?
poder means “to be able to”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is poder regular or irregular?
poder is irregular: it is irregular in presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo. The gerund is podendo and the past participle is podido.
What are the gerund and past participle of poder?
The gerund is podendo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is podido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho podido.
Which auxiliary does poder take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
poder takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho podido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle podido.
How do I say “I be able to speak” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu posso falar português todos os dias.” — “I can speak Portuguese” The eu form of the present is posso, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of poder — every tense of poder in one place.
- Poder in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Poder examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Portuguese pretérito perfeito tense guide — the full guide to the pretérito perfeito tense in Portuguese.
- Portuguese irregular verbs — every common irregular Portuguese verb, grouped by pattern.
- Ser conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Ter conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Portuguese verbs — the full hub of Portuguese conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise poder with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise poder with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise poder with the interactive tool.