Does tomar mean to drink
My spanish instructor has introduced tomar as to drink. I am used to it being to take. Has it ever been to drink.
6 Answers
Tomar
To say that the Spanish verb tomar means "to take" isn't doing the word justice. Although it can usually be translated that way, it actually has a wide variety of meanings and is used in all sorts of expressions.
Here are some of common meanings of tomar:
To take physical possession of: Tomó el libro y volvió a su habitación. He took the book and returned home. Toma mi mano y camina conmigo. Take my hand and walk with me. Los campesinos tomaron como rehén al gerente. The farmworkers took the manager as hostage.
To choose: Había muchas. There were many of them. Tomé el azul. I took the blue one.
To eat or drink: Tomo café como parte del desayuno en mi programa de dieta. I drink coffee as part of breakfast for my diet. El segundo día tomaron una sopa de pollo. The second day they had chicken soup.
To use a form of transportation: Tomemos un taxi. Let's take a taxi. C uando tomo el metro tardo hasta 45 minutos. When I use the subway I'm as much as 45 minute late. No quiero tomar el autopista. I don't want to go on the freeway.
To take medicine: Recomendamos que tome ambas píldoras a la vez. We recommend that you take both pills at the same time.
To understand something a certain way: Me tomaron por loco. They thought I was crazy. La mayoría de críticos se lo tomaron a broma. Most of the critics took it as a joke. Le tomaron por espía. They thought he was a spy.
To adopt a course of action: Para demostrar que el cambio era efectivo, se tomaron medidas muy drásticas. In order to demonstrate that the change was effective, very drastic measures were taken. Tomemos un enfoque diferente. Let's take a different approach. Viajar no perjudica la salud, si se toman precauciones. Traveling isn't dangerous to your health, if precautions are taken. Tomé la derecha. I turned to the right.
Additionally, tomar is used in idiomatic phrases. Many of them are equivalent to English phrases using the word "take." Here are some of the more common:
Tomar apuntes/notas — to take notes Tomar el control — to take control. Tomar (un) examen — to take a test. Tomar fotos — to take photos (sacar fotos is preferred in some areas). Tomar responsabilidad — to take responsibility. Tomar nota — to take note. Tomar parte — to take part. Tomar la pluma — to begin writing. Tomar el sol — to sunbathe. Tomar tierra — to land (said of aircraft). ¡Tómate esa! — Take that! (said, for example, when hitting someone).
Think how words work in English....think of all of the words that we have that mean more than on thing. Look at our word, "sewer". It can mean a place where waste water is carried, or it can mean a person who sews. How crazy is that?? I have found that in Spanish there are less of them than there are in English.
Yes, it means to take food, drink, pills, etc.
Sí, tomar significa ¨to drink¨. También significa ¨to take¨. ¿Quieres tomar unas cervezas desués de trabajo?
Yes, tomar means ¨to drink¨. It also means ¨to take¨. Do you want to drink some beers after work?
You can translate it to have or take depending on context, the waiter may come to your group and say ¿Qué van a tomar? What are you going to have? you will give him your order and he then might say y ¿para beber? and to drink? That has been my experience when eating out, conversely you can say ¿Voy a tomar copas con amigos? I am going to have a drink with friends?
Welcome to the forum 
yes of course. tomar
