but couldn't
Sí lo soy, pero no podía decírselo a su esposa.
Yes, I am, but I couldn't tell his wife.
— Cuentos de Tokio (1953)
Pero no podía imaginar matarte.
But I couldn't imagine killing you.
— Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)
Tom podía oír a Mary, pero no podía verla.
Tom could hear Mary, but he couldn't see her.
Tom quería hablar con Mary, pero no podía encontrarla.
Tom wanted to talk to Mary, but he couldn't find her.
Pero no podía mantener la boca cerrada.
But she couldn't keep her mouth shut.
— El prisionero de las montañas (1996)