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Lesson 68 of 238

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Free Spanish CourseLesson 68 of 238

I can't stand it in Spanish

Justin is choosing a sandwich filling at Café Laurel, but the first option is a disaster.

You'll learn to say that you hate something, can't stand it, or don't mind it.

You'll also compare two choices and say either one is fine. Yako has very strong opinions about lunch.

By the end of this lesson

Say you hate something, don't mind it, or are fine with either choice.

  • Odio ___I hate ___
  • No soporto ___I can't stand ___
  • No me molesta ___I don't mind ___
  • ___ es demasiado ___ para mí___ is too ___ for me
  • Cualquiera de los dos está bienEither is fine
  • ¿Qué tal ___ mejor?How about ___ instead?

Scene — choosing a filling

At Café Laurel, Michael is helping Justin choose a sandwich filling before Amanda goes out to work.

There are two containers on the counter: one has onions, and the other has cheese. Yako is listening from his two chairs.

Michael stands behind the Café Laurel counter holding a sandwich, Justin stands facing him deciding between two open containers of onions and cheese, and Yako listens from his two chairs.

Learn — strong and mild opinions

These chunks help you react clearly when you like neither option, can tolerate one, or want someone to choose.

You'll also soften your opinion with a useful comparison.

  1. Justin points at the onion container with a disgusted face while Michael holds the sandwich.

    Odio ___

    I hate ___

    When to use it: Say this when you strongly dislike a person, thing, or activity.

    Odio means I hate; learn it as one piece before adding the thing.

    Say it: OH-dyoh; stress the first syllable.

  2. Yako shakes his head at the onion container with a sour face, giving his own opinion.

    No soporto ___

    I can't stand ___

    When to use it: Use this when something bothers you so much that you cannot tolerate it.

    Soporto comes from soportar, to tolerate; no makes the meaning negative.

    Say it: noh soh-por-toh; keep the final o clear.

  3. Justin shrugs happily at the cheese container, relaxed and accepting.

    No me molesta ___

    I don't mind ___

    When to use it: Say this when something is not a problem for you.

    Me molesta means it bothers me; no reverses that meaning.

    Say it: noh meh moh-LEHS-tah; stress molesta.

  4. Michael holds up an onion slice and winces, indicating it is too much for him.

    ___ es demasiado ___ para mí

    ___ is too ___ for me

    When to use it: Use this to explain that something goes beyond what you can comfortably accept.

    Demasiado means too much or too; the adjective agrees with the thing you describe.

    Say it: deh-mah-SYAH-doh; stress the third syllable.

  5. Justin waves a casual open hand over both containers, happy with either option.

    Cualquiera de los dos está bien

    Either is fine

    When to use it: Say this when you genuinely have no preference between two choices.

    Los dos means the two options; cualquiera means either one.

    Say it: kwahl-KYEH-rah; stress the third syllable.

  6. Michael suggests cheese instead, holding up the cheese container with a friendly offer.

    ¿Qué tal ___ mejor?

    How about ___ instead?

    When to use it: Use this to suggest the other option after discussing the first one.

    Here, ¿Qué tal ___ mejor? means how about the other choice, not a greeting.

    Say it: keh tahl meh-HOR; stress mejor.

Story — two sandwich fillings

Watch Justin compare two sandwich fillings while Michael helps and Amanda gets ready for work.

The highlighted chunks show strong dislike, tolerance, and a neutral choice. Turn on Show English if needed.

  1. Michael puts two sandwich fillings on the counter. Amanda checks the time before work.
  2. Michael¿Prefieres cebolla o queso? Yo prefiero el queso.Do you prefer onion or cheese? I prefer cheese.
  3. JustinOdio la cebolla.I hate onions.
  4. YakoNo soporto la cebolla.I can't stand onions.
  5. Michael¿Qué tal el queso mejor?How about cheese instead?
  6. JustinNo me molesta el queso.I don't mind cheese.
  7. AmandaMe gusta el queso, pero debo irme.I like cheese, but I have to go.
  8. MichaelLa cebolla es demasiado fuerte para mí.Onion is too strong for me.
  9. Michael¿Pan blanco o pan integral?White bread or whole-wheat bread?
  10. JustinCualquiera de los dos está bien.Either is fine.
  11. Yako chooses both fillings. Amanda leaves for work before the sandwich is wrapped.

Practice — choose your reaction

Practice moves from listening and matching to choosing a response, changing a chunk, and building a complete sentence.

The last exercises ask you to notice small differences in meaning.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

    What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    Odio ___Drop the English here
    No soporto ___Drop the English here
    No me molesta ___Drop the English here

    English

  3. What do you say?

    What do you say?

    Yako asks about onions, and the smell bothers you intensely.

  4. What did you hear?

    What did you hear?

  5. Fill the gap

    Fill the gap

    Either is fine

    Cualquiera de los ____ está bien

  6. What does it mean?

    What does it mean?

    Me gusta ___

  7. What do you say?

    What do you say?

    Michael offers cheese, and cheese is acceptable to you without being your favorite.

  8. True or false?

    True or false?

    This line says that you prefer one specific choice.

  9. Build the line

    Build the line

    Either is fine

    Tap the words in order.

  10. Swap the word

    Swap the word

    Suggest cheese instead of onions.

    ¿Qué tal ____ mejor?

  11. What does it mean?

    What does it mean?

    ¿Te gusta ___?

Say it — give your opinion

Now you're Justin choosing a sandwich filling while Michael asks what you think.

Tap ▶ to hear each model line, then tap the microphone on your turns. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Michael¿Qué prefieres, cebolla o queso?What do you prefer, onion or cheese?
  2. Justin (you)Say that you hate onions.

    Say that you hate onions.

    Odio ___

    I hate ___

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

Every line from this lesson
SpanishEnglishPlay
Odio ___I hate ___
No soporto ___I can't stand ___
No me molesta ___I don't mind ___
___ es demasiado ___ para mí___ is too ___ for me
Cualquiera de los dos está bienEither is fine
¿Qué tal ___ mejor?How about ___ instead?
Next: lesson 69I'm good at it

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these opinion chunks handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

Review one strong opinion and one neutral choice each day until they feel automatic.

Open Yak Cards