How to use this word without getting cussed out???

Question

I'm in my 2nd year of Spanish and I've come across a word that I'm afraid to use for fear of offending people. I've heard that it's considered vulgar in some Latin American countries.. So I'm wondering which places it's acceptable and where it's best to replace it with another word. My greatest fear is that I'll be misunderstood and offend someone.

The word is coger. My book's translation of it is to be caught. Yet it also has the vulgar meaning... Can someone help me so I can be more knowledgeable so I don't accidentally offend someone! Thanks!

Answer 1

Welcome to the forum. I would just generally avoid using that word, except possibly in Spain. If you look up coger in the dictionary here it will give you a lot of synonims that are safer.

Here is an earlier thread on the same topic: Coger

Thanks that was very helpful! - night92hawk, Sep 21, 2010

synonyms - hhmdirocco, Mar 23, 2011

Answer 2

He´s right common in Spain, but consdiered vulgar everywhere else

Not necessarily everywhere else ... PR, for example. - hhmdirocco, Mar 23, 2011