Why Aguantar Is the Verb of Putting Up With Things
Aguantar is the everyday verb for enduring: a person, the heat, a long wait, a heavy load. It is a regular verb, it sounds relaxed and natural, and native speakers use it more than the formal soportar.
It covers four ideas: put up with, hold on, last and hold back. Learn them as the six chunks below.
Pattern 1: No aguanto más — "I can't take it anymore"
Use it when you are at your limit. Add the thing you cannot bear right after the verb. For the related no puedo más, see [Poder] Chunks.
- Ya no aguanto más. — I can't take it anymore.
- No aguanto este calor. — I can't stand this heat.
- No aguanto el dolor de espalda. — I can't bear this back pain.
Chunk to learn:
No aguanto + [algo] / Ya no aguanto más
Pattern 2: No aguantar a alguien — "To not be able to stand someone"
When the thing you cannot bear is a person, add a before them, or use lo / la. It is blunt and very common among friends.
- No aguanto a mi jefe. — I can't stand my boss.
- No lo aguanto. — I can't stand him.
- ¿Cómo la aguantas? — How do you put up with her?
Chunk to learn:
No aguantar a + [persona] / No lo / la aguanto
Pattern 3: Aguanta / Aguántame… — "Hold on / Hang in there"
Use the command to ask someone to wait a moment or to encourage them to keep going. For more on waiting, see [Esperar] Chunks.
- Aguántame un segundo. — Hold on a second.
- Aguanta, ya casi llegamos. — Hang in there, we're almost there.
- Aguanta ahí, que ya voy. — Hold on there, I'm coming.
Chunk to learn:
Aguanta / Aguántame un momento
Pattern 4: Aguantar + time or weight — "To last / to hold up"
Aguantar also says how long a person or object holds out, or how much weight it can carry. Use it for batteries, chairs, and your own stamina.
- ¿Cuánto tiempo aguantas sin comer? — How long can you go without eating?
- Esta silla aguanta cien kilos. — This chair can hold a hundred kilos.
- Mi móvil no aguanta todo el día. — My phone doesn't last all day.
Chunk to learn:
Aguantar + [tiempo / peso] / Aguantar sin + [infinitivo]
Pattern 5: Aguantarse — "To grin and bear it"
With se, you hold yourself back or accept a situation you cannot change. Te aguantas is the blunt "deal with it." Aguantarse las ganas is holding back an urge.
- Si no te gusta, te aguantas. — If you don't like it, deal with it.
- Me aguanté las ganas de reír. — I held back my urge to laugh.
- Tuve que aguantarme y no decir nada. — I had to bite my tongue and say nothing.
Chunk to learn:
Aguantarse / Te aguantas / Aguantarse las ganas de + [infinitivo]
Pattern 6: Aguantar el tipo — "To keep your cool"
Use aguantar el tipo for staying composed under pressure, and aguantar el chaparrón for weathering a storm of criticism or trouble. Both are especially common in Spain. It is the calm opposite of tirar la toalla; see [Tirar] Chunks.
- Aguantó el tipo durante toda la entrevista. — He kept his cool through the whole interview.
- Me costó aguantar el tipo. — It was hard to keep my composure.
- Tienes que aguantar el chaparrón. — You have to weather the storm.
Chunk to learn:
Aguantar el tipo / Aguantar el chaparrón
Aguantar vs. Soportar vs. Esperar
Aguantar is the relaxed, everyday choice; soportar sounds more formal and heavier. And esperar is simply "to wait," while aguanta asks someone to wait and be patient. No lo aguanto says you cannot stand someone; no lo soporto says the same thing, a bit more formally.
Start with ya no aguanto más and aguántame un segundo. You will hear both the first time life gets stressful.
This post is part of the Spanish Chunk Series — a growing collection of chunk patterns for natural Spanish.