Help with the verbs 'meter' and 'echar'

Question

I have trouble with knowing how and when to use the verbs 'meter' and 'echar'. Could someone give me a few examples of it in sentences or something to help me solidify its uses?

I have looked them up in the dictionary but I just have trouble remembering them. Plus, each has 10+ uses.

Answer 1

Well, here are a couple of general guidelines.

"Meter" generally indicates the action of "putting". It frequently implies the action of insertion. For example: "meter los libros en la caja" - to put the books in the box, "meter la pata" - to stick one's foot in one's mouth, "métete en la cama" - go to bed/ put yourself into bed, no te metas en esto" - don't get involved in this/ don't put yourself in this.

On the other hand, "echar" generally indicates the action of throwing, or throwing off. For example: "echar la pelota" - to toss the ball, "echar chispas" - to be really mad/to throw off sparks, "echar la mano" - to give a hand/to extend one's hand, "echar bromas" - to joke around/to throw off jokes, "echarse en la cama" - to go to bed/to throw yourself into bed.

Obviously there are hundreds of expressions, and some of them are restricted to regions (such as "echar bromas" - probably really funny sounding to a Mexican!). But, generally speaking, "meter" is the action of putting into, whereas "echar" is the action of throwing off.

Answer 2

Meter = to put in, to stick something inside something else.

There is a very close similarity between some verbs. Meter and Poner share this correlation. Meter in usually inside something else:

Mete la ropa sucia en la lavadora = Put the dirty clothes inside the washing machine.

Pon la ropa sucia en la lavadora = Means the same as the above example. Or you could be more specific: "Pon la ropa encima (sobre = on top) de la lavadora" --- put the clothes on top of the washing machine. In this case there is no example of usage for meter.

The difference is that "poner" could be, inside or on top while "meter" can only be inside. "Pon el lápiz sobre (encima de = on top of) la mesa" --- Put the pen on (on top of) the table. There again is no such example for meter.

¿Donde metistes los lápices que compramos? = Where did you put the pencils that we bought? ¿Donde pusistes los lápices que compramos? --- both sentences mean the samething.

Echar = to throw, to put in

Here is another verb similar to poner and meter.

"Echa la ropa en la lavadora." --- Throw the clothes inside the washer.

But you won't be able to say Echa la ropa en el armario. For this you need poner or meter. --- Put the clothes inside the closet. Stick 'em inside the closet. You getting the idea?

Echar in these cases means to throw in:

Echa la ropa en el cesto --- Throw the clothes inside the basket.

Echa los papeles a la basura or Tira (to throw) los papeles a la basura --- means: Throw the papers in the garbage.

There are different examples of how to use these three verbs. Leave them for later. If this has become clearer for you then go back to our dictionay and see if you can understand some of it better.

Answer 3

Great responses! Thank so much...me ayudan mucho las respuestas.

Answer 4

Echar es un verbo comodín (diría yo) ya que sustituye a muchísimos otros verbos:

1. Echarse un taco
2. Echarse un baño
3. Echarse una cerveza
4. Echarse champú
5. Echarse crema
6. Echar flojera

Answer 5

Simple answer - "put" and "fling"