hubiera podido

I could have

hubiera podido(oo-byeh-rah poh-dee-doh)

phrase

1. (first person singular)

a. I could have

Hubiera podido pasarme por el supermercado al salir del trabajo, pero estaba agotada.

I could have popped into the supermarket after work, but I was exhausted.

2. (third person singular)

a. he could have

Luis es muy inteligente y hubiera podido estudiar la carrera de matemáticas si hubiera querido.

Luis is very intelligent and he could have done a degree in math if he'd wanted to.

b. she could have

Hubiera podido hacernos el favor, pero no le dio la gana.

She could have done us the favor, but she just didn't want to.

c. it could have

Es verdad que te robaron aquí, pero hubiera podido pasarte en cualquier lugar.

It's true that you were robbed here, but it could have happened to you anywhere.

d. could have

La secretaria hubiera podido avisarnos de que habían atrasado una hora la reunión, ¿no crees?

The secretary could have let us know that the meeting had been put off for one hour, don't you think?

3.

(formal)

(second person singular)

a. you could have

Hubiera podido decirme que venía a comer. Apenas tengo nada en la nevera.

You could have told me you were coming for lunch. I hardly have anything in the fridge.