Food preferences · Food and eating

can't stand

strongly dislike

If you cannot stand a food, you dislike it very strongly.

B1 common mostly spoken

can't stand

This vs that

I strongly dislike them

I can't stand olives.

I like them quite a lot

I'm quite partial to olives.

Hear it in real life

Do you want some blue cheese?

No, I can't stand it.

Play the conversation

I can't stand coriander, so I always ask for it to be left out.

Which sounds natural?

Psst — which one would you actually say?

The mistake everyone makes

Not: I can't stand ~~to eat~~ durian.

Say: I can't stand eating durian.

After 'can't stand' for a general dislike, use a noun or -ing form.

Say it together

Whole chunks natives use with it.

can't stand ___ing

I can't stand eating mushrooms.

She can't stand drinking tea without milk.

More for talking about food preferences.

I'm craving ___

I'm craving something spicy tonight.

I'm not fussed about ___

I'm not fussed about dessert, thanks.

Food and eating · Food preferences: the words around “can't stand”.

More connectionsMore food preferences words8

Your turn: say it out loud

I can't stand coriander.

Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.

can't stand

strongly dislike

“I can't stand coriander, so I always ask for it to be left out.”

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