Questions & Answers about Я не могу терпеть громкую музыку вечером.
Why does Russian use "не могу терпеть" instead of just one verb like English "I can't stand"?
Russian often expresses this idea with a modal verb + infinitive:
- мочь = to be able (can)
- терпеть = to tolerate, to endure
So "я не могу терпеть" literally means "I am not able to tolerate" → I can’t stand.
You can use a single verb in Russian too, but it changes the wording:
- Я не выношу громкую музыку вечером. – I can’t stand loud music in the evenings.
- Я терпеть не могу громкую музыку вечером. – Same meaning as the original, just different word order for emphasis.
The pattern "не могу терпеть" is a very natural and common way to say I can’t stand in Russian.
Why is "терпеть" in the infinitive form after "могу"?