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"Tolerar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to tolerate", and "aguantar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to bear". Learn more about the difference between "tolerar" and "aguantar" below.
tolerar(
toh
-
leh
-
rahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to endure)
a. to tolerate
Los vendedores a menudo tienen que tolerar a clientes enojados o irrespetuosos.Sales clerks often have to tolerate angry or rude customers.
b. to bear
Baja el volumen de la computadora. No puedo tolerar ese ruido.Turn down the computer volume. I can't bear that noise.
d. to put up with
Me voy. No tengo por qué tolerar esto de nadie.I'm off. I don't have to put up with this from anyone.
2. (to permit)
a. to tolerate
Yo no le tolero a un mocoso como tú que me hable así.I won't tolerate a snot-nosed kid like you speaking to me like that.
b. to let get away with
Con un niño hay que tener mano firme, y desde luego no se le puede tolerar todo.You have to be firm with kids, and you obviously can't let them get away with everything.
c. to allow
Los maestros se han propuesto no tolerar a los alumnos ningún tipo de violencia.Teachers are determined not to allow pupils to engage in any kind of violence.
3. (to respect)
a. to tolerate
Una de las primeras cosas que hay que aprender en la vida es a tolerar ideas distintas de las nuestras.One of the first things we must learn in life is to tolerate ideas that are different from our own.
4. (medicine)
a. to tolerate
De momento, la paciente tolera bien la quimioterapia.The patient has tolerated the chemotherapy well so far.
aguantar(
ah
-
gwahn
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
b. to take
No creo que la mesa aguante tanto peso.I don't think the table can take that much weight.
c. to support
El estante no puede aguantar el peso de tantos libros.The shelf can't support the weight of so many books.
d. to hold
Si esa sillita te aguanta, te doy cinco dólares.If that little chair holds you, I'll give you five bucks.
e. to hold up
Los soportes son tan viejos que ya no aguantan el techo.The supports are so old that they can't hold up the roof anymore.
3. (to stifle)
b. to hold back
Shelly aguantó las ganas que tenía de decirle a su esposo lo que realmente pensaba.Shelly held back the desire she felt to tell her husband what she was really thinking.
4. (to endure)
a. to last
No creo que esos zapatos te vayan a aguantar todo el año.I don't think those shoes are going to last you all year.
5. (to carry)
6. (to wait) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to hang on
Sé que puedes aguantar hasta que llegue el doctor.I know you can hang on until the doctor arrives.
8. (to endure)
9. (to wait)
b. to hang on
Aguanta, amigo. Tengo que contestar este correo.Hang on, dude. I need to answer this email.
aguantarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
10. (to resist)
a. to hang on
Aguántate un segundo más, amor; casi llegamos a la casa.Hang on one more second, honey; we're almost home.
b. to hold on
Ya no me puedo aguantar, papi. ¡Tengo que ir al baño ya!I can't hold on anymore, daddy. I need to go to the bathroom now!
d. to grin and bear it (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Tendrás que aguantarte un poquito más.You'll have to grin and bear it a bit longer.
e. to suck it up (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
No, no hay baño de aquí hasta el otro pueblo. ¡Aguántate!No, there aren't any bathrooms until the next town. Suck it up!
f. to lump it (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
¿No les gusta cómo cocino? Pues, que se aguanten, chavos.You don't like my cooking. Well, you can lump it, guys.
a. to keep quiet
No estuve para nada de acuerdo con la decisión, pero me aguanté.I didn't agree with the decision at all, but I kept quiet.
b. to hold back
Jill ya no pudo aguantarse, así que al profesor le dijo muy claramente su opinión.Jill couldn't hold back anymore, so she very clearly gave the professor her opinion.
