If you speak English, there is a good chance that you use the verb “to take” all the time.
So, let’s look at some of the most common uses.
1. “To take” = LLEVAR something
When you move an object from one place to another, we often use llevar.
Take this book to the office.
→ Llevá este libro a la oficina.
I need to take my computer to work.
→ Necesito llevar mi computadora al trabajo.
Take these documents to María.
→ Llevále estos documentos a María.
Think:
llevar = take something from here to another place
Llevo mi computadora al trabajo.
I take my computer to work.
Llevo el libro a la escuela.
I take the book to school.
2. “To take” = LLEVAR someone
We also use llevar when we take a person somewhere.
I took my daughter to school.
→ Llevé a mi hija a la escuela.
Can you take me to the airport?
→ ¿Podés llevarme al aeropuerto?
She took her husband to the doctor.
→ Ella llevó a su marido al médico.
So:
take my computer → llevar mi computadora
take my daughter → llevar a mi hija
The same Spanish verb works for both things and people.
3. “To take” = TOMAR
Sometimes to take means tomar.
We can use tomar for drinks:
I take coffee every morning.
→ Tomo café todas las mañanas.
We also use it for medicine:
Take this medicine twice a day.
→ Tomá este medicamento dos veces al día.
Take a pill.
→ Tomar una pastilla.
So, when you consume something, tomar is often the correct choice.
4. “To take” = TOMAR a bus, train, or subway
This is another very common use of tomar.
Take the bus.
→ Tomar el colectivo.
Take the train.
→ Tomar el tren.
Take the subway.
→ Tomar el subte.
For example:
I take the bus to work.
→ Tomo el colectivo para ir al trabajo.
In Argentina, we normally say colectivo instead of bus and subte instead of subway.
5. “To take” = SACAR a photo
Here is a very common surprise for English speakers.
In English:
take a photo
But in Spanish, especially in Argentina, we normally say:
sacar una foto
For example:
Can you take a photo of us?
→ ¿Nos sacás una foto?
I took a lot of photos.
→ Saqué muchas fotos.
Take a selfie!
→ ¡Sacate una selfie!
So remember:
take a photo → sacar una foto
Not:
❌ tomar una foto
At least in everyday Argentine Spanish, sacar una foto is much more natural.
6. “To take” = DARSE a shower
English speakers say:
take a shower
In Spanish, we usually say:
darse una ducha
I take a shower every morning.
→ Me doy una ducha todas las mañanas.
I’m going to take a shower.
→ Voy a darme una ducha.
We can also say:
darse un baño = take a bath
I’m going to take a bath.
→ Voy a darme un baño.
This is a good example of why you shouldn’t translate take word by word.
7. “To take” = TOMARSE a break
In English:
take a break
In Spanish, we often use tomarse:
Let’s take a break.
→ Tomémonos un descanso.
I need to take a break.
→ Necesito tomarme un descanso.
The same happens with:
Take your time.
→ Tomate tu tiempo.
This is a very useful expression:
Tomate tu tiempo.
Take your time.
8. “To take” = TARDAR
This one is especially important because the structure is very different.
How long does it take?
→ ¿Cuánto tiempo lleva?
→ ¿Cuánto se tarda?
It takes two hours.
→ Lleva dos horas.
But if we talk about a person:
It takes me 30 minutes to get to work.
→ Tardo 30 minutos en llegar al trabajo.
So:
It takes two hours.
→ Lleva dos horas.
I take two hours to get there.
→ Tardo dos horas en llegar.
English uses take in both sentences, but Spanish uses different verbs.
9. “To take” = AGARRAR or TOMAR
When take means picking something up with your hand, we can use agarrar or tomar.
Take my hand.
→ Agarrame la mano.
Take this.
→ Tomá esto.
Take the keys.
→ Agarrá las llaves.
In everyday Argentine Spanish, agarrar is very common.
10. “To take” = LLEVARSE something
Sometimes take means that you take something with you.
In this case, we often use llevarse.
I’m going to take this book with me.
→ Voy a llevarme este libro.
At a store:
I’ll take this one.
→ Me llevo este.
Here, me llevo means something like:
I’ll take this one / I’ll buy this one and take it with me.
11. “To take” = ACEPTAR
Sometimes take means accept.
I’ll take the job.
→ Acepto el trabajo.
Another useful example:
Do you take credit cards?
→ ¿Aceptan tarjetas de crédito?
This is a very useful question when traveling.
12. “To take” = AGUANTAR or SOPORTAR
When take means that you can tolerate something, we can use aguantar or soportar.
I can’t take it anymore.
→ No lo aguanto más.
I can’t take this noise.
→ No soporto este ruido.
In everyday Argentine Spanish, aguantar is very common:
No lo aguanto más.
I can’t take it anymore.
13. “To take” = TOMAR a decision
Sometimes take really is tomar.
For example:
Take a decision.
→ Tomar una decisión.
I need to take a decision.
→ Necesito tomar una decisión.
We also have:
take action → tomar medidas
take control → tomar el control
take responsibility → asumir la responsabilidad
So… how do we translate “to take”?
As you can see, there is no single Spanish translation.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| take a book somewhere | llevar un libro |
| take someone somewhere | llevar a alguien |
| take medicine | tomar un medicamento |
| take a bus | tomar el colectivo |
| take a photo | sacar una foto |
| take a shower | darse una ducha |
| take a break | tomarse un descanso |
| take your time | tomarse el tiempo |
| take two hours | llevar dos horas |
| take 30 minutes | tardar 30 minutos |
| take something in your hand | agarrar / tomar |
| take this one | llevarse este |
| take a job | aceptar un trabajo |
| take responsibility | asumir la responsabilidad |
| take a decision | tomar una decisión |
| take it anymore | aguantar / soportar |
Don’t translate “take” — understand the meaning!
This is probably the most important lesson.
When you see take, don’t automatically think:
take = tomar
Instead, ask yourself:
What does “take” mean in this sentence?
Is it moving something?
→ llevar
Is it moving a person?
→ llevar
Is it consuming something?
→ tomar
Is it using transportation?
→ tomar
Is it taking a photo?
→ sacar
Is it taking a shower?
→ darse
Is it expressing a length of time?
→ llevar / tardar
Is it picking something up?
→ agarrar / tomar
Is it accepting something?
→ aceptar
Is it tolerating something?
→ aguantar / soportar
Learning Spanish is not only about learning what individual words mean. It’s also about learning which words naturally go together.
And “to take” is one of the best examples of why translating word by word doesn’t always work.
So the next time you see take, don’t immediately look for tomar in the dictionary.
Look at the context first!
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