The Italian verb "potere" means "to be able to" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "potere" across all 5 tenses. New to Italian verbs? Start with the Italian verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "potere" in the Present Tense
Presente indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | posso |
| tu | you (informal) | puoi |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | può |
| noi | we | possiamo |
| voi | you all | potete |
| loro | they | possono |
Lui può aiutarmi.
He can help me.
How to Conjugate "potere" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passato prossimo Actions that finished in the recent past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | ho potuto |
| tu | you (informal) | hai potuto |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | ha potuto |
| noi | we | abbiamo potuto |
| voi | you all | avete potuto |
| loro | they | hanno potuto |
Lui ha potuto finire tutto.
He was able to finish everything.
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Imperfetto Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | potevo |
| tu | you (informal) | potevi |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | poteva |
| noi | we | potevamo |
| voi | you all | potevate |
| loro | they | potevano |
Lui poteva parlare tre lingue.
He was able to speak three languages.
How to Conjugate "potere" in the Future Tense
Futuro semplice Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | potrò |
| tu | you (informal) | potrai |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | potrà |
| noi | we | potremo |
| voi | you all | potrete |
| loro | they | potranno |
Lui potrà uscire presto.
He will be able to leave early.
How to Conjugate "potere" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condizionale presente Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | potrei |
| tu | you (informal) | potresti |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | potrebbe |
| noi | we | potremmo |
| voi | you all | potreste |
| loro | they | potrebbero |
Lui potrebbe dormire qui.
He could sleep here.
Frequently Asked Questions About "potere"
Is "potere" regular or irregular in Italian?
"Potere" is an irregular Italian verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "potere" mean in English?
The Italian verb "potere" means "to be able to" in English.
How do you conjugate "potere" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente indicativo): io → posso, tu → puoi, lui/lei → può, noi → possiamo, voi → potete, loro → possono.
How many tenses does "potere" have in Italian?
"Potere" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Italian: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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