Spanish Phrase
Tenemos que aguantar este mal momento.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘We have to endure this bad moment.’ It expresses a collective duty to stay strong through a difficult period, whether personal, social or emotional. *Aguantar* carries a nuance of patience and resilience rather than simply ‘wait’.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to encourage a group (family, friends, coworkers) to keep going during a crisis, a health setback, a financial slump, or any short‑term hardship. It works well in supportive conversations, team meetings, or when reflecting on a challenging episode in a story.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tenemosqueaguantarestemalmomento
Tenemos
First‑person plural present of the verb *tener* (to have). Used here as an auxiliary meaning ‘we must’.
que
Conjunction that introduces an infinitive after *tener* to express obligation.
aguantar
Infinitive of *aguantar* – ‘to endure, to bear, to tolerate’. Conveys a sense of patience in a difficult situation.
este
Demonstrative adjective (masc. sing.) meaning ‘this’. Must agree in gender and number with the noun *momento*.
mal
Adjective meaning ‘bad, difficult, unpleasant’. Placed before the noun it modifies.
momento
Masculine singular noun meaning ‘moment, period of time’. The core noun of the phrase.
🗨In Conversation
¿Cómo te sientes con todo lo que está pasando?
How do you feel about everything that’s happening?
Tenemos que aguantar este mal momento.
We have to endure this bad moment.
✕Common Mistakes
Tengo que aguantar este mal momento.
Do not drop the final *s*; *tenemos* is the correct 1st‑person plural form.
Tenemos que aguantar esta mal momento.
The demonstrative must agree with the noun; *este* is masculine singular for *momento*.
Tenemos que soportar este mal momento.
Avoid using *soportar* when you want the colloquial feel of *aguantar*.
Tenemos que aguantar este momento mal.
In most contexts *mal* goes before the noun; *momento malo* is also possible but changes the rhythm.
↔Alternatives
Debemos sobrellevar este difícil momento.
We must get through this difficult moment.
Tenemos que pasar por este mal momento.
We have to go through this bad moment.
Hay que resistir este momento complicado.
We need to resist this complicated moment.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking cultures, *aguantar* is often used to talk about emotional stamina – think of the popular saying *‘aguantar el chaparrón’* (to weather the storm). It’s a slightly informal, colloquial verb, so in very formal writing you might replace it with *soportar* or *sobreponerse*. Also note that in some regions (e.g., Mexico) people say *‘aguantar el tirón’* to mean ‘to hold on during a tough stretch’. Using *este* instead of *ese* signals that the speaker feels the moment is happening right now, not something distant.