aguantar

to bear

to put up with

aguantar(ah-gwahn-tahr)

transitive verb

1. (to withstand)

a. to bear

Ese columpio no aguantará tu peso, John.

That swing won't bear your weight, John.

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.

2. (to tolerate)

a. to put up with

¿Cómo puedes aguantar ese ruido?

How can you put up with that noise?

b. to endure

El pueblo aguantó la crueldad del dictador durante muchos años.

The people endured the dictator's cruelty for many years.

c. to stand

No lo aguanto; es bien molesto.

I can't stand him; he's really annoying.

d. to bear

¡Ya no aguanto la espera! Dime qué le pasó a Jeoffrey.

I can't bear the wait anymore! Tell me what happened to Jeoffrey.

3. (to stifle)

a. to hold (breath)

Tienes que poder aguantar la respiración para nadar bien.

You have to be able to hold your breath to swim well.

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)

a. to hold

¿Me aguantas la mochila un segundo?

Can you hold my backpack for a second?

6. (to wait)

(Latin America)

a. to wait for

Aguántame un ratito, ¿puedes?

Wait for me a minute, ok?

intransitive verb

7. (to withstand)

a. to hang on

Sé que puedes aguantar hasta que llegue el doctor.

I know you can hang on until the doctor arrives.

b. to hold on

¡Aguanta! Casi llegamos al hospital.

Hold on! We're almost at the hospital.

8. (to endure)

a. to last

Guau, estas botas de goma sí que aguantan.

Wow, these rubber boots really last.

9. (to wait)

a. to hold on

¡Aguanta, mamá! Casi estoy lista.

Hold on, mom! I'm almost ready.

b. to hang on

Aguanta, amigo. Tengo que contestar este correo.

Hang on, dude. I need to answer this email.

aguantarse

pronominal verb

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!

c. to withstand

No puedo aguantarme las ganas de estornudar.

I can't withstand the urge to sneeze.

d. to grin and bear it

(colloquial)

Tendrás que aguantarte un poquito más.

You'll have to grin and bear it a bit longer.

e. to suck it up

(colloquial)

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)

¿No les gusta cómo cocino? Pues, que se aguanten, chavos.

You don't like my cooking. Well, you can lump it, guys.

11. (to contain oneself)

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.