no puedo
/no pwedo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I can't" is translated into Spanish as no puedo.
no puedo is a straightforward translation of "I can't" used to express an inability to do something. If you wish to say "I can't anymore" to indicate you have reached the limit of your endurance or patience, you can say no puedo más. For comparison, no soy capaz means "I am not capable" and no me es posible means "It is not possible for me".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of no (not) and puedo (I can/am able to).
How does it change in a sentence?
The subject yo (I) is often omitted because the verb ending in puedo already indicates the first-person singular.
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, the phrase no puedo can be used as a slang reaction to something extremely funny, functioning like the English 'I can't even'.
- The word puedo comes from the Latin verb 'potere', which is the same root that gives English the words 'potent' and 'potential'.
- Because the verb ending in puedo is so specific to the first person, adding the pronoun yo to say yo no puedo can actually make you sound more emphatic or even slightly defensive, as if you are correcting someone.
Examples in context
- Yo no puedo ver.I can't watch.Tatoeba #4590171 by Francisco_M, translation #1955128 by CK
- Ya no puedo más.I can't anymore.Tatoeba #6682086 by arh, translation #7813234 by shekitten
- No puedo ir solo.I can't go alone.Tatoeba #2225183 by Shishir, translation #1951699 by CK
- No puedo asistir a la reunión a esa horaI cannot attend the meeting at that time
- No soy capaz de comprender totalmente esta situaciónI am not capable of fully understanding this situation
- No me es posible cumplir con ese plazoIt is not possible for me to meet that deadline
- No me da para comprar ese regaloI can't afford to buy that gift
- No puedo asistir a la conferencia a esa horaI cannot attend the conference at that time
- No puedo permitirme ese alojamiento, es muy costosoI can't afford that accommodation, it's too expensive
- 1292 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are discussing a weekend plan.
- Alejandro¿Quieres ir al cine este sábado?Do you want to go to the cinema this Saturday?
- ElenaNo puedo, tengo que estudiar.I can't, I have to study.
- AlejandroQué pena, Elena.That's a shame, Elena.
- ElenaLo siento, Alejandro.I'm sorry, Alejandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries no, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
