puedo hacerlo
/pwedo aθeɾlo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I can do it" is translated into Spanish as puedo hacerlo.
puedo hacerlo is used as a statement to express that you have the ability or capability to complete a specific task.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of puedo (I can), hacer (to do/make) and the enclitic pronoun -lo (it).
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb puedo is the first-person singular present indicative of poder. In the phrase puedo hacerlo, the object pronoun lo is attached to the end of the infinitive hacer. Alternatively, the pronoun lo can be placed before the conjugated verb, resulting in lo puedo hacer.
Did you know?
- If you want to say 'I can do it' in the sense of 'I am capable of handling this difficult situation', a common idiomatic way to say it is yo puedo con esto.
- The verb poder shares a root with the English word 'potent'. Both originate from the Latin 'potis', meaning 'able'.
- In a game of chance or a daring bet, a person might say yo puedo as a challenge, which functions more like 'I dare you' or 'I bet I can' than a simple statement of ability.
Examples in context
- Sé que puedo hacerlo.I know I can do it.Tatoeba #1621047 by marcelostockle, translation #1621032 by Spamster
- No sé si puedo hacerlo.I don't know if I can do it.Tatoeba #2812794 by marcelostockle, translation #2543849 by CK
- Puedo hacerlo sin tu ayuda.I can do it without your help.Tatoeba #1003054 by Shishir, translation #866507 by papabear
- Yo soy capaz de liderar este proyecto de principio a fin.I am capable of leading this project from start to finish.
- No te preocupes, puedo hacerlo sin problemas.Don't worry, I can do it without any issues.
- ¡No hay problema! Lo hago fácilmente en poco tiempo.No problem! I can do it easily in no time.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena is trying to open a tight jar.
- ElenaEste frasco está muy apretado.This jar is very tight.
- JavierDame el frasco, yo puedo hacerlo.Give me the jar, I can do it.
- ElenaGracias, Javier. Eres muy fuerte.Thank you, Javier. You are very strong.
- Javier¡Listo! Ya está abierto.Done! It's open 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.
