Everything is possible

Tuesday, 31 January 2012 17:43

Written by Editor

Quite a few years ago my first article on learning Spanish featured the verb Poder
explaining how one uses puedo - I can/I am able plus any other verb. Puedo ver la montaña - I can see the mountain.
No puedo hacer el trabajo  -  I can't do the work.
¿Puedo vender el coche?  -  Can I sell the car?

We've come a long way since then but Poder remains an extremely useful little verb.

Let's begin with a proverb :
Querer es poder which literally means To want to is to be able to  or as
we would say in English  Where there's a will there's a way.

Then there's the expression for when you've had enough of something
No puedo màs - I can't take any more.  It can be applied to situatons,
the weather and even food and drink.

¿Se puede?  means May I?  and is used in places where you are asking permission
for example to enter a place or in a café asking if a seat is free.

No puede ser  means That cannot be  or  It's impossible and will be used
when you are finding it hard to believe what you are seeing or being told.
No me digas, no puede ser  -  You're kidding, it's not possible.

El poder is the power and poderoso means powerful. We hear people
(usually older people) speaking of Dios todopoderoso  All powerful (Almighty) God.

The times are a-changing so we will end with another proverb which says it all
Poderoso caballero es Don Dinero.  Literally  Mr. Money is a powerful
gentleman.
Or as we would put it  -  Money makes the world go around.

Ya está  -  That's it   
Hasta el próximo  -   Until next time.
Valerie

Valerie runs the Centro Idiomas Language School in Coin.
Her books, “The First Twelve Shortcuts to Spanish” , “The Second Twelve Shortcuts to Spanish”  (€5 each) and  “The Verb Book” (€7) are available from The News office in Coin, Woody’s Cards and Books in Los Boliches, David’s Books in Los Boliches or by email from This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Valerie's books can now be bought from her website - www.cslspain.com or call 952 450 747.