Poderias

Poderias is a form of the Portuguese verb poder. It is the second-person singular conditional mood, equivalent to “you would be able” or “you could” in English. The form is used to express hypothetical ability or to make polite requests, especially in European Portuguese and in various regional dialects of Brazilian Portuguese where the informal tu form remains common.

Usage examples include requests and hypothetical statements. For example: “Poderias dizer-me onde fica a estação?” (Could you tell me where the station is?) and “Se eu tivesse tempo, poderias vir comigo?” (If I had time, you could come with me?). In everyday speech, poderias conveys both a possibility and a courteous tone, depending on context.

Morphology and variation: poderias is formed from the infinitive poder with the conditional endings, attached to the stem poder. It is a regular formation for the Portuguese conditional: eu poderia, tu poderias, ele poderia, nós poderíamos, vós poderíeis, eles poderiam. The second-person tú form is common in Portugal and in some Brazilian regions, while in most Brazilian usage the corresponding polite form is você poderia; in formal writing or in regions where tu is not used, você poderia is more typical.

Etymology: poder derives from the Latin potere, meaning “to be able.” The conditional ending pattern in Portuguese reflects the broader Romance-language system for expressing potential or hypothetical actions.

See also: poder, verb conjugation, Portuguese grammar, conditional mood.