lo siento, no puedo
The English phrase "sorry, I can't" can be translated into Spanish as lo siento, no puedo.
This phrase is used as a polite way to decline an invitation or a request because you are unable to do it.
Which one should you use?
The standard phrase lo siento, no puedo expresses regret, but if you want a shorter and more informal way to say "sorry" or "excuse me" when declining a request, you can use perdón, no puedo.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase no puedo is the first-person singular conjugation of the verb poder (to be able to) in the negative form, meaning "I cannot".
Did you know?
- The word siento in lo siento comes from the verb sentir, which means both 'to feel' and 'to sense'. When you say lo siento, you are literally saying 'I feel it'.
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, if you use no puedo to decline a request, people might follow up by asking ¿por qué? (why?) to see if you are actually busy or just being shy.
- While lo siento is a standard way to apologize, using it to decline a social invitation can sometimes sound much more heavy or dramatic than the English 'I am sorry'.
Examples in context
- Lo siento, no puedo ir a la fiesta.Sorry, I can't go to the party.
- Lo siento, no puedo ir a tu fiesta.Sorry, I can't go to your party.
- ¿Me ayudas con la tarea? Lo siento, no puedo ahora.Can you help me with the homework? Sorry, I can't right now.
- Lo siento, no puedo comer carne.Sorry, I can't eat meat.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are talking about a movie.
- Mateo¿Quieres ir al cine hoy, Sofía?Do you want to go to the movies today, Sofía?
- SofíaLo siento, no puedo, tengo que estudiar.Sorry, I can't, I have to study.
- MateoNo te preocupes, podemos ir otro día.Don't worry, we can go another day.
- SofíaGracias por entender, Mateo.Thanks for understanding, Mateo.
