Llevar = to wear ?

Question

I'm working with a book I found a few days ago (thank you Benz )

In here they say llevar = (to) wear

But... llevar is also to carry.

When i put "i wear" in the translator he gives me "llevo"

When i put "wear" he gives me "llevar puesto"

And when I put "I wear a shirt" he gives me "me pongo una camisa"

In other words... the translator made me a very confused lady

Anyone can clear this up for me?

Is llevar the right verb to use if I want to say that I wear a shirt?

Answer 1

Lesson 1.12 might help you.

The way I think of it is "Pongo la camiseta" is "I put on the tee shirt". It's the act of getting dressed, of putting it on your body.

Then once it's on your body you say "Llevo una camiseta" or "I'm wearing a tee shirt" because you are no longer putting it on your body you are, from a Spanish perspective, carrying it around on your body.

Some things don't translate word for word. Like in English we pay attention to something but in Spanish you put attention on something.

What really helps me is to quit thinking "Llevar" means "to carry" or "to wear" but when I learn the verb I walk around showing off my clothes and saying "Llevo una falda." "Llevo unos calcetines." and so on. Put the phrase with the imagery, the action, the "feeling" of wearing something. Practice it over and over. Don't try to remember that llevar means to wear (or to carry). Just walk around wearing something and practicing the word until you're convinced that's what you're doing... llevando su ropa.

Then when it's time to talk about what you're wearing in Spanish, you'll look at your clothes and just know that you're llevando los jeans. The English equivalent won't pass through your brain at all.

If only it were that simple...think in Spanish; not English. From your lips to God's ear! - 0074b507, Feb 24, 2010

Thank you very much!! This reply took away my confusion :) - Alrisaera, Feb 24, 2010

Answer 2

So actually what they're asking me to do in the workbook is grammatically incorrect?

You wear the shirt - Llevas la camisa

She wears the skirt with the blouse - Lleva la falda con la blusa

Makes no sense to me either, that's why the confusion.

I've checked the answer key in the book for this one, and what I've written up here is supposed to be the right choise...

Still confused

Answer 3

"me pongo una camisa" I put on a shirt

"llevar puesto" to wear

You can also say simply "Me llevo....." for "I wear...." and also ie: "Ella andaba de zapatos negros" She wore black shoes.

Answer 4

If you want to say you are wearing something, i.e., you have it on, you would use llevar puesto, where "puesto" can change to puesta, puestos, or puestas depending on the gender and number of the noun denoting the article of clothing. To make it a little easier, you can use the verb vestir for this as well. On the other hand, if you want to say you are putting on the clothes, use vestirse, which means "to put on clothes".

Ella lleva puesto un vestido = she is wearing a dress. Ella viste un vestido = she is wearing a dress. Ella está vistiéndose un vestido = she is putting on a dress.

In general, you would not use "me pongo la ropa" to say "I put on clothes", it sounds like the translator you used tried to translate everything as 100% literal, but since I'm not an expert on Spanish, I'll admit that might be an acceptable use of ponerse.