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"Pero no puedo" is a phrase which is often translated as "but I can't", and "lo" is a pronoun which is often translated as "it". Learn more about the difference between "pero no puedo" and "lo" below.
pero no puedo(
peh
-
roh
noh
pweh
-
doh
)A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
1. (general)
a. but I can't
Me gustaría ir al cine, pero no puedo: tengo que estudiar.I'd like to go to the movies, but I can't; I have to study.
lo(
loh
)A pronoun is a word that stands in for a noun (e.g., she).
a. it
¿Qué hago con el lomo de cerdo? - Cocínalo despacio.What should I do with the pork loin? - Cook it slowly.
b. him
¿Te dije que me encontré a Jonás durante las vacaciones? Lo vi en Roma.Did I tell you I bumped into Jonas over break? I saw him in Rome.
c. you
Lo admiro, señor Presidente. Usted es todo un héroe para este país.I admire you, Mr. President. You're a hero to this country.
2. (possessive)
A definite article is a word that identifies a noun as specific or known to the speaker (e.g., the girl).
a. no direct translation (before an adjective)
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Lo raro es que nunca he visto a Bruce durante el día.The weird thing is that I've never seen Bruce during the day.
No te puedes imaginar lo increíble que es Palenque.You can't imagine how incredible Palenque is.
