Future of 'Poder': Saying 'Will Be Able To'
poderei/poderá for written and official contexts, but stick to vou poder in everyday conversation.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To say 'will be able to' in Portuguese, use the future tense of 'poder': 'poderá' (he/she/it) or 'poderão' (they).
- Use the future stem 'poder-' + future endings: 'poder-ei', 'poder-ás', 'poder-á', etc.
- In spoken Brazilian Portuguese, 'vai poder' is much more common than the synthetic future.
- The future tense of 'poder' implies a future possibility or permission.
Overview
Ever felt unsure how to say you will be able to do something in Portuguese? Not just that you can, but that you will have the ability to in the future. That's where the future tense of poder (to be able to) comes in.
It’s your tool for making plans, promises, and predictions about your future capabilities. But watch out! In Brazil, using it in casual chat can make you sound like a time-traveling 19th-century novelist.
Let's figure out how to use it without sounding like you just stepped out of a history book.
The future tense of poder—forms like poderei, poderá, and poderão—translates to "will be able to." It's an irregular verb in the future, which means it doesn't just stick the endings onto the infinitive poder. It has a special stem: podr-. Think of it as the verb's formal suit for future events.
You use it to talk about abilities or possibilities that don't exist yet but will in the future. For example, "Next year, I will be able to travel" becomes No ano que vem, eu poderei viajar. It’s a bit more formal than other ways of talking about the future, which is a super important detail, especially in Brazilian Portuguese.
It often shows up in official documents, news reports, or when you want to sound extra polite or certain about a future possibility. It’s less about a casual plan and more about a confirmed future state of being able.
How This Grammar Works
poder is a modal verb. That means it doesn't work alone.Eu poderei. (I will be able to.) People will ask, "You'll be able to what?" You need to complete the thought: Eu poderei comprar o carro. (I will be able to buy the car.) The magic is in the stem change. Most verbs use their full infinitive form as the base for the future tense (like falar -> falarei).poder, fazer, and dizer, have special, shorter stems. For poder, the stem is podr-. Once you have that stem, you just add the standard future tense endings.podr- and you've unlocked the entire conjugation. The structure is always: Subject + poder (future form) + Main Verb (infinitive).Formation Pattern
poder-, it won't work! The stem is podr-.
poder, the future stem is podr-.
eu, você, ele/ela, nós, vocês, eles/elas.
eu + podr- + -ei → poderei
você/ele/ela + podr- + -á → poderá
nós + podr- + -emos → poderemos
vocês/eles/elas + podr- + -ão → poderão
tu and vós? In Portugal, you might see them.
tu + podr- + -ás → poderás
vós + podr- + -eis → podereis
When To Use It
- Formal Promises or Strong Intentions: This is the classic use. When you want to state with certainty that you'll be able to do something. Think contracts, official announcements, or very serious promises.
A empresa poderá oferecer novos benefícios no próximo ano.(The company will be able to offer new benefits next year.)
- Making Predictions: When you're predicting a future ability or possibility, especially in a formal context like a news report or scientific paper.
Com o novo telescópio, os cientistas poderão observar galáxias distantes.(With the new telescope, scientists will be able to observe distant galaxies.)
- Polite & Formal Questions: Asking about someone's future ability in a formal way. Instead of a blunt "Can you?", it's a softer "Will you be able to?".
O senhor poderá assinar aqui, por favor?(Will you be able to sign here, please, sir?)
- Literary or Written Language: You'll see it a lot in books, articles, and formal emails. In spoken Brazilian Portuguese, it’s much rarer. Using it in a WhatsApp message to a friend like
Eu poderei ir à festasounds a bit stiff. They'd expectEu vou poder ir à festa. In Portugal, it's more common in speech, but the informal future is still very frequent.
Common Mistakes
- 1Forgetting the Irregular Stem: The number one mistake is writing
poder-instead ofpodr-. You'll end up with something likepoderei, which sounds... well, it sounds very wrong. It's like saying "I can-ed" in English. Rememberdizer(dir-),fazer(far-), andpoder(podr-) are the three amigos of future irregularity.
- 1Using Present
podefor Future: Learners often use the present tensepode(can) with a future word likeamanhã(tomorrow). For example:Amanhã eu pode te ajudar.✗ This is incorrect. You need a future form. The most natural fix in conversation would beAmanhã eu vou poder te ajudaror the more formalAmanhã eu poderei te ajudar. ✓
- 1Overusing it in Brazil: As we mentioned, this is a big one. Texting your Brazilian friend
Eu poderei te encontrar às 8is grammatically perfect but socially awkward. It makes you sound like a robot or their grandpa. Stick toVou poder te encontrar às 8for casual situations. Savepodereifor your job interview or writing a formal complaint to your internet provider.
- 1Mixing up
poderão(future) andpoderiam(conditional): They look similar, butpoderãomeans "they will be able to" (a future certainty).Poderiammeans "they could" (a hypothetical possibility). Using the wrong one changes your meaning from a plan to a daydream.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
Poderá(Formal Future) vs.Vai poder(Informal Future): This is the main event. Both mean "will be able to."poderá: Use this in formal writing, official speeches, or when you want to sound very serious. It feels more distant and objective.O presidente poderá visitar o país na próxima semana.(The president will be able to visit the country next week - sounds like a news headline).vai poder: This is your go-to for 95% of conversations, especially in Brazil. It’s friendly, immediate, and natural.Você vai poder vir na minha festa?(Are you going to be able to come to my party? - what you'd actually text a friend).
Poderá(Future) vs.Pode(Present):poderá: Expresses a future ability.Se eu economizar, poderei comprar um carro.(If I save money, I will be able to buy a car.)pode: Expresses a current ability or permission.Eu posso dirigir.(I can drive.) It can sometimes imply a near, certain future, but it's not the same as the dedicated future tense. Usingpodefor a distant future plan is a common mistake.
Poderei(Future) vs.Poderia(Conditional):poderei: Certainty about the future. "I will be able to." It's a plan.Eu poderei terminar o relatório até as 5.poderia: Uncertainty or a hypothetical situation. "I could / would be able to." It's a possibility, often depending on a condition.Eu poderia terminar o relatório... se eu tivesse mais tempo.(...if I had more time.)Poderiais also used for polite requests:Você poderia me ajudar?(Could you help me?)
Quick FAQ
So I should just never use poderei in Brazil?
Not never! Just know your audience. In a job interview, a formal presentation, or writing an academic paper, poderei and poderá are perfect. They show you have command of formal Portuguese. Just don't use them when ordering a pizza.
Is poder the only verb with an irregular future stem?
Nope! The most common ones are poder (podr-), dizer (dir-), fazer (far-), and their derivatives. Trazer (to bring) also becomes trarei, and haver (to have, auxiliary) becomes haverá.
Can I just use ir + poder all the time?
In casual Brazilian Portuguese, pretty much, yes. You'll sound completely natural. In Portugal, people mix and match more, so using poderei won't sound as formal. For a B1 level, mastering ir + poder for conversation and recognizing poderei when you read it is a solid goal.
What's the difference between poderá and poderão?
Just the subject! Poderá is for a single person (he, she, you-formal). Poderão is for multiple people (they, you-all).
Future Indicative of 'Poder'
| Pronoun | Synthetic Future | Analytic Future (BR) |
|---|---|---|
|
Eu
|
poderei
|
vou poder
|
|
Tu
|
poderás
|
vai poder
|
|
Ele/Ela/Você
|
poderá
|
vai poder
|
|
Nós
|
poderemos
|
vamos poder
|
|
Vós
|
podereis
|
vão poder
|
|
Eles/Elas/Vocês
|
poderão
|
vão poder
|
Meanings
The future indicative of 'poder' expresses future ability, potential, or permission.
Future Ability
Expressing that someone will have the capacity to do something later.
“Eu poderei viajar em breve.”
“Nós poderemos terminar o projeto.”
Future Permission
Expressing that someone will be allowed to do something.
“Você poderá entrar depois das dez.”
“Os alunos poderão sair mais cedo.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + Poder(fut) + Inf
|
Eu poderei ir.
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + não + Poder(fut) + Inf
|
Eu não poderei ir.
|
|
Question
|
Poder(fut) + Subject + Inf?
|
Poderá você ir?
|
|
Analytic Aff
|
Subject + Ir(pres) + Poder + Inf
|
Eu vou poder ir.
|
|
Analytic Neg
|
Subject + não + Ir(pres) + Poder + Inf
|
Eu não vou poder ir.
|
|
Analytic Q
|
Ir(pres) + Subject + Poder + Inf?
|
Você vai poder ir?
|
Formality Spectrum
Eu poderei ajudá-lo. (Offering assistance)
Eu vou poder te ajudar. (Offering assistance)
Vou poder te dar uma força. (Offering assistance)
Vou conseguir te ajudar. (Offering assistance)
Future Ability Map
Formal
- Poderá Will be able to
Informal
- Vai poder Going to be able to
Examples by Level
Eu vou poder ir.
I will be able to go.
Você vai poder vir?
Will you be able to come?
Não vou poder sair.
I won't be able to go out.
Nós vamos poder comer.
We will be able to eat.
Eles não vão poder chegar cedo.
They won't be able to arrive early.
Você vai poder me ajudar?
Will you be able to help me?
Ela vai poder trabalhar amanhã.
She will be able to work tomorrow.
Nós vamos poder ver o filme.
We will be able to see the movie.
O cliente poderá solicitar o reembolso.
The client will be able to request the refund.
Nós poderemos resolver isso em breve.
We will be able to solve this soon.
Eles não poderão participar da reunião.
They will not be able to participate in the meeting.
Você poderá acessar o sistema amanhã.
You will be able to access the system tomorrow.
Somente os membros poderão votar.
Only members will be able to vote.
A empresa poderá expandir suas operações.
The company will be able to expand its operations.
Não se sabe se eles poderão comparecer.
It is not known if they will be able to attend.
Você poderá, se desejar, sair mais cedo.
You will be able to, if you wish, leave earlier.
O governo poderá, em última instância, intervir.
The government will be able to, in the last instance, intervene.
Quem poderá dizer o que o futuro reserva?
Who will be able to say what the future holds?
Nenhum cidadão poderá ser privado de seus direitos.
No citizen will be able to be deprived of their rights.
Poderemos, enfim, descansar após o esforço.
We will be able to, finally, rest after the effort.
Poderá o homem superar suas próprias limitações?
Will man be able to overcome his own limitations?
Não poderão os fatos ser ignorados por muito tempo.
The facts will not be able to be ignored for long.
Poderão eles, porventura, mudar o curso da história?
Will they, perhaps, be able to change the course of history?
Se o tempo permitir, poderemos concluir a obra.
If time permits, we will be able to conclude the work.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up future certainty with conditional politeness.
Learners don't know which to use in conversation.
Both mean 'to be able to'.
Common Mistakes
Eu poderei ir amanhã.
Eu vou poder ir amanhã.
Eu vai poder.
Eu vou poder.
Eu poderei não ir.
Eu não vou poder ir.
Eu vou poderei ir.
Eu vou poder ir.
Nós podereis ir.
Nós poderemos ir.
Você vai poderá ir?
Você vai poder ir?
Eles vão poderam ir.
Eles vão poder ir.
Eu poderei de ir.
Eu poderei ir.
Poderá ele ir?
Ele poderá ir?
Eu poderei que ir.
Eu poderei ir.
Se eu poderei, eu farei.
Se eu puder, eu farei.
Poderá-se fazer.
Poder-se-á fazer.
Eles poderiam ir amanhã.
Eles poderão ir amanhã.
Sentence Patterns
Eu ___ poder ___ amanhã.
Nós ___ poder ___ o projeto.
A equipe ___ poder ___ a meta.
___ eles ___ participar do evento?
Real World Usage
Vou poder ir sim!
Poderemos enviar o relatório amanhã.
Quem vai poder ir ao show?
Eu poderei assumir a vaga imediatamente.
Você vai poder entregar às 20h?
Poderemos fazer o check-in cedo?
The 'Vai' Rule
Don't over-formalize
Listen for 'poderão'
Regional differences
Smart Tips
Use the synthetic future to sound more professional.
Always use 'vai poder' to sound natural.
Use 'poderia' instead of 'poderá' to be polite.
Look for the synthetic future to identify future events.
Pronunciation
Stress
The stress in 'poderá' is on the final syllable.
Rising
Poderá você ir? ↗
Indicates a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Poder-ei is the key, add the future to the tree.
Visual Association
Imagine a calendar page flipping to the future. On the page, the word 'PODER' is written in bold, and you are adding the endings like stickers to the end of the word.
Rhyme
Para o futuro dizer, use o poder e o -ei.
Story
Maria is planning her future. She says, 'Eu poderei viajar' (formal). Her friend replies, 'Eu também vou poder!' (informal). They both smile, knowing they have the ability to succeed.
Word Web
Challenge
Write three sentences about what you will be able to do next year: one formal, one informal, and one negative.
Cultural Notes
The analytic 'vai poder' is dominant. Using the synthetic 'poderá' in casual settings can sound pretentious or overly formal.
The synthetic future is more common in speech than in Brazil, though 'vai poder' is still used.
In both countries, the synthetic 'poderá' is standard for contracts and formal notices.
Comes from Latin 'potere' (to be able) + 'habere' (to have).
Conversation Starters
Você vai poder viajar nas férias?
Você acha que vai poder terminar o projeto hoje?
A empresa poderá oferecer um aumento este ano?
Poderá a tecnologia resolver todos os nossos problemas?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Eu ___ poder ir à festa amanhã.
Eles ___ poder chegar cedo.
Find and fix the mistake:
Nós vai poder ir.
Eu vou poder ir. -> Eu ___ ir.
'Poderá' is more formal than 'vai poder'.
A: Você vai poder vir? B: Sim, eu ___.
poder / amanhã / ir / eu / vou
Nós (poder - synthetic future)
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesEu ___ poder ir à festa amanhã.
Eles ___ poder chegar cedo.
Find and fix the mistake:
Nós vai poder ir.
Eu vou poder ir. -> Eu ___ ir.
'Poderá' is more formal than 'vai poder'.
A: Você vai poder vir? B: Sim, eu ___.
poder / amanhã / ir / eu / vou
Nós (poder - synthetic future)
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesAmanhã, ela _______ nos ajudar com a mudança.
Eu acho que eles não poderam chegar a tempo.
o projeto / terminar / vocês / a tempo / poderão / ?
We will be able to solve this problem.
Choose the correct sentence.
Match the pairs.
Se eu tivesse dinheiro, eu _______ viajar o mundo. (hypothetical)
Quando você poder me ajudar?
They will be able to see the game from here.
As inscrições _______ ser feitas online a partir de amanhã.
depois / eu / te / ligar / do almoço / poderei
Score: /11
FAQ (8)
Portuguese has an analytic form (vai poder) and a synthetic form (poderá). The analytic form is common in speech, while the synthetic form is for formal writing.
You can, but it will sound very formal or even stiff. Stick to 'vai poder' for casual chats.
No. 'Poderei' is future (will be able to), while 'poderia' is conditional (would be able to/could).
Using the wrong subject-verb agreement with 'vai' (e.g., 'nós vai poder').
Yes, if you want to read newspapers, books, or write professional emails.
Yes, but the synthetic future is more common in speech there than in Brazil.
Just put 'não' before the verb: 'Não vou poder' or 'Não poderei'.
Not really, they both mean 'will be able to'. The difference is purely in register and formality.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
podré
The stem in Spanish is 'podr-', while in Portuguese it is 'poder-'.
pourrai
French has a different stem 'pourr-' and different endings.
werden können
German does not fuse the verb into a single word.
dekiru deshou
Japanese has no verb conjugation for person or number.
sa-yastati'u
The prefix is attached to the verb, not a suffix.
hui neng
Chinese verbs do not change form at all.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
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