Using poder to say could have [done something] in Spanish (modal verbs)

In Spanish, "could have [done something]" is expressed in 3 different ways. They all refer to when someone had a chance to do something in the past but missed the opportunity:

Have a look at the following example with the 3 different tenses but all referring to the same thing:

Gabriela pudo haber ido a la universidad de Exeter pero no fue.Gabriela could have gone to Exeter university but she didn't go.

Gabriela podía haber ido a la universidad de Exeter pero no fue.Gabriela could have gone to Exeter university but she didn't go.

Gabriela podría haber ido a la universidad de Exeter pero no fue.Gabriela could have gone to Exeter university but she didn't go.

The three different tenses are interchangeable, the meaning does not change no matter which one you use. They all refer to what could have happened in the past (but didn't).
 
Here are more examples:
 

Me podrías haber avisado para ir a recogerte a la estación.You could have told me so I could go pick you up at the station.

Pudimos haber ido a la playa en vez de a la montaña.We could have gone to the beach instead of the mountains.

Podíais haber recogido la casa antes de la llegada de los invitados.You could have tidied up the house before the guests arrived.

Ellos podrían haber organizado mejor el viaje porque fue un desastre.They could have organised the trip better because it was a disaster.
 

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Examples and resources

Gabriela pudo haber ido a la universidad de Exeter pero no fue.Gabriela could have gone to Exeter university but she didn't go.
Ellos podrían haber organizado mejor el viaje porque fue un desastre.They could have organised the trip better because it was a disaster.
Gabriela podría haber ido a la universidad de Exeter pero no fue.Gabriela could have gone to Exeter university but she didn't go.
Pudimos haber ido a la playa en vez de a la montaña.We could have gone to the beach instead of the mountains.
Podíais haber recogido la casa antes de la llegada de los invitados.You could have tidied up the house before the guests arrived.
Gabriela podía haber ido a la universidad de Exeter pero no fue.Gabriela could have gone to Exeter university but she didn't go.
Me podrías haber avisado para ir a recogerte a la estación.You could have told me so I could go pick you up at the station.
Gabriela podía haber ido a la universidad de Exeter pero no fue.Gabriela could have gone to Exeter university but she didn't go.
Using poder to say could have [done something] in Spanish (modal verbs)
1 of 2
Mis padres ___ una casa en la playa cuando tenían dinero. (My parents could have bought a house at the beach when they had money.)[one, some or all may be correct]

Q&A Forum 7 questions, 10 answers

Jimmy C.Kwiziq community member

Pudo ser vs podría/pudo haber sido

Hola, mi amiga dijo "este domingo no pudo ser más lindo". ¿Tiene el mismo significado que este domingo no podría haber sido? Me pareció rara la frase. Parece que a ella no le gustó este domingo, pero la verdad que sí. Es de Argentina, así que quizás sea cuestión de dialecto no sé.

Asked 1 year ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hola Jimmy

Sí, la oración de tu amiga tiene sentido. 

Parece una frase negativa pero es muy positiva. 

Está diciendo que "este domingo no pudo ser más lindo" porque fue realmente tan lindo que no era posible tener un domingo mejor que ese.

El uso del indefinido (pudo) es bastante más usual en Latinoamérica que en España. Yo, por ejemplo, siendo española, habría dicho lo mismo con el pretérito perfecto: Este domindo no ha podido ser más lindo. 

Tu oración usando "...no podría haber sido..." refleja la misma idea que con "pudo". Es simplemente otra forma de expresar esa idea. 

Espero que haya ayudado a clarificar tu duda. 

Un saludo cordial

Jimmy C. asked:

Pudo ser vs podría/pudo haber sido

Hola, mi amiga dijo "este domingo no pudo ser más lindo". ¿Tiene el mismo significado que este domingo no podría haber sido? Me pareció rara la frase. Parece que a ella no le gustó este domingo, pero la verdad que sí. Es de Argentina, así que quizás sea cuestión de dialecto no sé.

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Dominic N.C1Kwiziq community member

How interchangeable are the tenses?

Someone else has asked a similar question but in regards to the interchangeability of the tenses, if you were to say "You could have called me the whole evening", can you still say "Podrías/Podías haberme llamado toda la tarde" or do you have to use "Pudiste haberme llamado toda la tarde" because it is in a set time frame now?

Asked 2 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hola Dominic

Generally, using one tense or another comes with a nuance, i.e. considering the action as a completed action in the past (preterite) or expressing this action with no relevance towards when it ended (imperfect), for example, but in this case, with poder, that nuance is not perceived and I would say all three tenses reflect the same meaning.

Saludos

Inma

Dominic N. asked:

How interchangeable are the tenses?

Someone else has asked a similar question but in regards to the interchangeability of the tenses, if you were to say "You could have called me the whole evening", can you still say "Podrías/Podías haberme llamado toda la tarde" or do you have to use "Pudiste haberme llamado toda la tarde" because it is in a set time frame now?

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Linda H.B2Kwiziq community member

You could have lost your job with that rude attitude.

Why couldn't the answer be, "Pudieras haber perdido" since it was hypothetical and you didn't actually lose your job? 

Asked 2 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hola Linda

The imperfect subjunctive in this type of sentence is not commonly used:

Tú podrías haber perdido tu trabajo con esa actitud tan grosera.

You could have lost your job with that rude attitude.

When we have a hypothetical sentence using a si clause the use of the imperfect subjunctive is correct, for example:

Si llegaras tarde todos los días, perderías tu trabajo.

If you were to be late every day, you would loose your job.

Si pudiera ayudarte, te ayudaría sin duda.

If I could help you, I would, no doubt.

But in the sentences in the lesson you refer to we are not using this structure with a si clause. Have a look here.

I hope this clarified it.

Gracias y saludos

Inma

 

Linda H. asked:

You could have lost your job with that rude attitude.

Why couldn't the answer be, "Pudieras haber perdido" since it was hypothetical and you didn't actually lose your job? 

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Mark D.A2Kwiziq community member

Podrías or podías

I was taught podrías means could when talking about the future and podía means could when talking about the past. Is this wrong?

Asked 3 years ago
Marsha C.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

See lessons:

Using poder in El pretérito Indefinido vs El pretérito Imperfecto (could in past actions)

Using poder to say could [do something] for polite requests and suggestions (conditional simple)

Mark D. asked:

Podrías or podías

I was taught podrías means could when talking about the future and podía means could when talking about the past. Is this wrong?

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Robert H.C1Kwiziq community member

HINT: Dolores ___ en su juventud

How is "HINT: Dolores ___ en su juventud" a hint? :)

Asked 4 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in Kwiziq

Oops!! That's been deleted. 

Gracias

Robert H. asked:

HINT: Dolores ___ en su juventud

How is "HINT: Dolores ___ en su juventud" a hint? :)

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C. P.A1Kwiziq community member

Are the 3 options truly interchangeable?

What am I missing? The lesson says that all three options are interchangeable, but the test result says that I got it almost correct when I chose "podía haber reducido" instead of "podría haber reducido."

Asked 5 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hola Cora

The system is telling you it is "nearly" correct instead of "100% correct" because in multiple answer questions, the student needs to identify all the possible correct answers, not only some of them, to get it all correct.

Saludos

Inma 

lorox l.B2Kwiziq community member

I'm sorry Cora but I have to disagree with kwiziq about: podrías, podías and pudiste haber perdido tu trabajo" being interchangeable. The last two, (podías and pudiste) are the only interchangeable verbs. Both sentences mean you could have lost your job...but you didn't!!!

The only correct answer to the test question is "podrías" because using it allows for the possibility that you may have, in fact, lost your job....but it's still unknown at the present time whether you did or not.

Using podías and pudiste clarifies that your didn't lose your job whereas podrías leaves both possibilities open

lorox l.B2Kwiziq community member

Using "podrías" would make the correct English translation be "you may have lost your job" instead of "you could have lost your job."

lorox l.B2Kwiziq community member

Using "podrías" would make the correct English translation be "you may have lost your job" instead of "you could have lost your job."

C. P. asked:

Are the 3 options truly interchangeable?

What am I missing? The lesson says that all three options are interchangeable, but the test result says that I got it almost correct when I chose "podía haber reducido" instead of "podría haber reducido."

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Claire N.C1Kwiziq community member

How do you know which tense to use? Does the usual rule about a ‘beginning and end’ apply?

Asked 6 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hola Claire,

With modal verbs this rule is slightly different. In these cases that the action had a clear beginning or an end is not noticeable.If I say: "Pudiste/Podías/Podrías haberme llamado para hablar", (You could have called me to talk) for example, the three options are referring to something the person could have done (but he/she didn't).

We could say it is a question of style. 

Inma

Claire N. asked:

How do you know which tense to use? Does the usual rule about a ‘beginning and end’ apply?

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