cancélalo
/kanθelalo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "cancel it" is translated as cancélalo.
The phrase is used as a command to tell someone to stop a planned event or to void an order.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the imperative verb cancela (cancel) and the object pronoun lo (it).
Which one should you use?
Cancélalo is an affirmative command used to tell someone to perform the action, whereas No lo canceles would be the negative command used to tell someone not to do it.
How does it change in a sentence?
When the object pronoun lo is attached to the end of the imperative command, an accent mark is added to the stressed syllable of the verb to maintain the original stress. If you are commanding a group of people to cancel something, you use the plural form cancélenlo.
How do you pronounce it?
/kanθelalo/
Did you know?
- If you tell a waiter cancela la cuenta, you are not asking to cancel the bill, but actually asking to pay it. In this context, cancelar means 'to settle' or 'to pay off' a debt.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you want to say 'cancel it' in the context of a subscription or a formal contract, you might hear the verb dar de baja instead of using cancelar.
- In many Latin American cultures, a direct command like cancélalo can sound unexpectedly aggressive, leading people to use a question instead.
Examples in context
- Cancélalo en cuanto puedas, por favor.Cancel it as soon as you can, please.This sentence is useful for learning how to use cancélalo in a polite request.Tatoeba #10263614 by Seael, translation #10518695 by DJ_Saidez
- Por favor, cancéleloPlease cancel it
- Si el cliente no está feliz, cancélalo.If the client is not happy, cancel it.
- El pedido tiene un error, cancélalo ahora.The order has an error, cancel it now.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are discussing a dinner reservation that is no longer possible.
- SofíaJavier, la reserva para esta noche es un desastre.Javier, the reservation for tonight is a disaster.
- Javier¿Quieres que lo intente arreglar?Do you want me to try to fix it?
- SofíaNo, no es necesario, cancélalo.No, it is not necessary, cancel it.
- JavierEstá bien, lo haré ahora mismo.All right, I will do it right now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
