Portuguese (Portugal) · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "poder" in Portuguese (Portugal)?

Q: How do you pronounce poder in Portuguese (Portugal)?

poder is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written [puˈdeɾ]. It means “to be able to/can.” Sounds like "poo-DAIR" — the first syllable tightens to a quick "poo", and stress lands on the second syllable.

Sounds like "poo-DAIR" — the first syllable tightens to a quick "poo", and stress lands on the second syllable.

poder [puˈdeɾ]

Stress falls on -der; the unstressed po- vowel closes from "oh" toward a tight "oo" sound, a very typical EP reduction.

Listen: poder

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Sound it out

po Unstressed "o" closes toward "oo", so it sounds more like "poo" than "poh".

d A true dental "d" as in English "dog", never softened into "j".

er Stressed, rhyming with "air", ending in a light tapped r.

Hear it in a sentence

Podes ajudar-me?

Can you help me?

Listen: Podes ajudar-me?

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"Podes ajudar-me?" ("Can you help me?") uses podes, the informal tu form, together with a reflexive-style enclitic pronoun -me attached after the infinitive ajudar with a hyphen — a hallmark of European Portuguese word order, where object pronouns commonly attach after the verb rather than before it as they often do in Brazilian Portuguese. This is a polite, everyday request appropriate among friends, family, or informally addressed strangers.

Where English speakers slip

The unstressed po- reducing to "poo" surprises learners who expect a clear "oh" sound from the spelling; not reducing it is one of the clearest markers of a foreign accent in EP. English speakers also often place the pronoun before the verb (me ajudar) out of habit or Brazilian exposure, when standard European usage in a question like this attaches it after: ajudar-me.