diferencia entre podía y pude

Question

¿Qué es la diferencia entre: 1. No pude comer 2.No podía comer

Answer 1

Poder is one of those verbs that is listed as “changing meanings” between the two tenses, although I find that distinction a bit subtle in this verb. But most things I read indicate the preterite gives more the sense that you tried and failed (preterite closed action), and the imperfect more the sense that you just were not able to (imperfect open action)

https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/spanish/spanish-i/narration-in-the-past/verbs-that-change-meaning-in-the-preterite

• Imperfect negative: poder = wasn't able, couldn't do something (assumed) Nadie podía cambiar la ley. Nobody could change the law.

• Preterite negative: poder = could not do something (tried and failed) El atleta no pudo seguir. The athlete could not continue.

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/245747/differences-in-meaning-between-imperfect-and-preterite-verbs

no poder no podía I wasn’t capable (outcome undetermined) no pude I tried and couldn’t

So one could say no pude comer- I did not succeed in eating/I did not manage to eat No podia comer- I was not able to eat.

Please await other answers.

Answer 2

Bosque’s answer is excellent for explaining the difference between the preterit and imperfect tenses of “poder”.

Another example:

“No pude comer.”-“I couldn’t eat (because there was no food).” “No podia comer.”-“I couldn’t eat (because it was lutefisk).

Ah, “lutefisk” was a construction material used by the Vikings as roofing and insulation. It was dried cod. It was prepared in a very special way, with lye. When the weather became warm, they would soak the fish to remove the lye and then eat it. In the Wisconsin state statues, it is specifically referred to as NOT being a workplace hazard.

Answer 3

These two links were discussed before from this page.

• Poder in preterit vs. imperfect
• "Pudo" vs. "Podía", "Tuvo" vs. "Tenía", "Quiso" vs. "Quería"