usage.ability-poder-saber
Can: poder vs saber
Saber + infinitive = learned skill (sé manejar); poder = possibility, permission, or circumstance (hoy no puedo manejar). English 'can' covers both — Spanish splits them.
⚠ Stub: AI-drafted outline, not yet reviewed. The structure is permanent; the content will be expanded.
usageA2stubdraftv0.1.0
Explanation
Sé nadar means I learned how; puedo nadar hoy means circumstances allow it. The classic error: *puedo hablar español for ability — say sé hablar español or just hablo español.
Poder also requests and permits: ¿podés venir?, acá no se puede estacionar. In the preterite, pude = managed to, no pude = failed to.
Examples
Sé cocinar, pero hoy no puedo: no hay gas.
I know how to cook, but today I can't: there's no gas.
I know how to cook, but today I can't: there's no gas.
Region: global
¿Sabés manejar moto?
Do you know how to ride a motorcycle?
Do you know how to ride a motorcycle?
Region: global