Pode vs. Pôde: Can or Could in Portuguese?
Pode is present tense; pôde is the past-tense form meaning that someone was able or allowed to do something.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Pode is the present form of poder for você, ele, or ela. Depending on context, it means can, may, or is possible. A question such as pode ajudar? can request help or ask whether someone is able to help.
Use pode for the present
No circumflex appears in the present form. Use context to distinguish ability from permission or possibility.
Você pode me ajudar agora?
Can you help me now?
Pode chover à noite.
It may rain tonight.
Ela pode entrar depois das nove.
She can come in after nine.
Use pôde for a completed past event
Pôde with a circumflex is the third-person singular preterite of poder. It means that someone could, was able to, or was permitted to do something at a completed point in the past. The accent distinguishes it from present pode.
If the sentence includes ontem, na semana passada, or another finished past time, check whether the action is a completed ability or permission. Compare hoje ela pode with ontem ela pôde.
Ontem, ele pôde sair mais cedo.
Yesterday, he was able to leave earlier.
A equipe pôde terminar o trabalho a tempo.
The team was able to finish the work on time.
Ela não pôde atender durante a reunião.
She couldn’t answer during the meeting.
Put it into practice
Pode is present; pôde is a completed past form. Use the circumflex to mark the past-tense distinction.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “Can you help me now”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
Build on this guide with everyday expressions and native Brazilian audio. Choose iPhone, Android, or the web app.