I can do that.

Question

If you were asked to do a task and you were 'up' to it - is an appropriate reply "Puedo hacer eso." (I can do/manage that).

So - if you weren't 'up' to it would the appropriate reply be "No puedo hacer eso."?

''poder" - what an amazing word! All those uses.

Annie.

Answer 1

llevar el viernes must be el viernes in my previous post.

Yes, my suggestions all fit into that context.

Answer 2

Oh I like those suggestions Heidita - I will write them down immediately.
And "PC" - Personnel Carrier - an operational vehicle for transporting fire-fighters. Perhaps "transporte de personal" in Spanish?
Annie.

Heidita said:

Quentin said:

I do not think that No, no puedo hacerlo o Sí, puedo hacerlo would be misunderstood even if your context was availability and not physical ability.

Quentin is quite right. You cannot use the "do that" part. You can use puedo.¿Puedes llevar en viernes el PC'( what might that be'')Pues sí, puedo. (sí, sin problema, /no hay problema, sí puedo/desde luego que sí, no faltaba más)

>

Answer 3

Quentin said:

I do not think that No, no puedo hacerlo o Sí, puedo hacerlo

would be misunderstood even if your context was availability and not physical ability.

Quentin is quite right. You cannot use the "do that" part. You can use puedo.

¿Puedes llevar en viernes el PC'( what might that be'')

Pues sí, puedo. (sí, sin problema, /no hay problema, sí puedo/desde luego que sí, no faltaba más)

Answer 4

Quentin said:

I think that the listen was superfluous to the example. An ¡oye! or ¡oiga! Listen (you), I have no idea....I don't think it was: If you mean listen....(then) I have no idea.

samdie said:

I don´t understand your "listen".

Thanks, Quentin, this is exactly what I wanted to say. We do this all the time in Spanish, I should have used a comma.

Answer 5

I do not think that

No, no puedo hacerlo o Sí, puedo hacerlo

would be misunderstood even if your context was availability and not physical ability.

Anne Sherwood said:

Thanks guys,Yes ''up to" was probably an odd way to express it. I will word it another way. For example:--"Annie, are you able to drive the PC on Friday night'".My reply..."I can do that." (meaning I am 'free'/'I am able to') or, alternatively,"No I can't." (meaning `I am not able to').

>

Answer 6

Thanks guys,

Yes ''up to" was probably an odd way to express it. I will word it another way. For example:--

"Annie, are you able to drive the PC on Friday night'".

My reply...

"I can do that." (meaning I am 'free'/'I am able to') or, alternatively,

"No I can't." (meaning `I am not able to').

Answer 7

I think that the listen was superfluous to the example. An ¡oye! or ¡oiga! Listen (you), I have no idea....
I don't think it was: If you mean listen....(then) I have no idea.

samdie said:

I don´t understand your "listen".

>

Answer 8

Heidita said:

to be up to can be tricky. If you mean, listen, I have no idea:

No sé hacerlo.

If it is: I have no tiem/place/ opportunity:

No puedo hacerlo (ahora).

There are experessions such as "What were you up to last night'" (loosely ¨Qué hacias anoche'¨¨)
I don´t understand your "listen".
But "somebody isn't up to ..." means wasn't able to/didn't have the necessary strength/resources to do something".

Answer 9

It can be very tricky.

A mischevious child is always getting into mischief. You see him doing something wrong. He's up to it again.

I'd like to play a game of chess. Are you up to/for it? ¿Tienes ganas de...

Heidita said:

to be up to can be tricky. If you mean, listen, I have no idea:No sé hacerlo.If it is: I have no tiem/place/ opportunity:No puedo hacerlo (ahora).

>

Answer 10

Thanks, SAM, that's what I as thinking. Anne, as ususal, we need context!!

Answer 11

to be up to can be tricky. If you mean, listen, I have no idea:

No sé hacerlo.

If it is: I have no tiem/place/ opportunity:

No puedo hacerlo (ahora).

Answer 12

"(No) puedo hacer eso" looks fine to me but you could also say something like "(No) soy capaz de hacer eso.