Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| resistencia | /resisˈtenθja/ /resisˈtensja/ |
feminine |
| aguante | /aˈɡwante/ | masculine |
The term refers to the measure of a person's stamina or persistence. You can express that someone has endurance by using the verb tener (to have) with the noun, such as in the phrase tener mucha resistencia. Common expressions include Aguantar el tirón, meaning to endure or withstand a tough situation and Tener aguante de sobra, which means to have plenty of endurance.
Which one should you use?
resistencia is the standard term for physical or mental endurance and is also used for the concept of 'resistance' in physics or politics. In contrast, aguante is a more colloquial term often used to describe a person's ability to 'hold out' or tolerate a difficult situation or physical strain.
How does it change in a sentence?
resistencia is a feminine noun, so any accompanying adjectives must be feminine, such as resistencia física. aguante is a masculine noun, so any accompanying adjectives must be masculine, such as un gran aguante.
How do you pronounce it?
/resisˈtenθja/
Did you know?
- The root of aguante traces back to the Proto-Germanic word *wantuz, which refers to a 'glove'.
- In some Latin American contexts, aguante can describe not just endurance but a spirit of courage or loyalty to a sports team or cause.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, you might hear someone say they 'no aguantan más' to express they have run out of patience, rather than physical stamina.
Examples in context
- La resistencia es fundamental para alcanzar tus objetivos.Endurance is essential to achieve your goals.
- Necesitas tener resistencia física o mental para completar esta prueba.You need to have physical or mental endurance to complete this test.
- Hay que aguantar el tipo en momentos difíciles.You have to endure in tough times.
- A pesar de las dificultades, ella no da su brazo a torcer.Despite the difficulties, she doesn't give in.
- Él tiene una resistencia de hierro.He has iron-like endurance.
- La resistencia es clave para el maratón.Endurance is key for the marathon.
- Necesitas mucha resistencia para subir esta montaña.You need a lot of endurance to climb this mountain.
- Su resistencia física es impresionante.His physical endurance is impressive.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are discussing their training for a long-distance cycling race.
- ElenaJavier, ¿tienes suficiente resistencia para el ciclismo?Javier, do you have enough endurance for cycling?
- JavierSí, estoy trabajando mucho en mi resistencia.Yes, I am working hard on my endurance.
- ElenaEs bueno, porque la carrera será muy larga.That's good, because the race will be very long.
- JavierTienes razón, Elena, no podemos bajar la guardia.You're right, Elena, we cannot let our guard down.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “endurance” translations and entries resistencia, aguante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aguante, resistencia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
