Consequir - to get; can it be used figuratively?

Question

We use 'get' a lot in English incliuding figuratively and I was wondering if it's common to use consequir in the same way such as when you 'get' someone to do something etc.

Or would you just use 'persuadir', (persuade), 'sugerir' (to suggest) or 'pedir' to ask/request or something similar?

I was just reading another post where someone said 'I tried to get her to participate' - how would you translate that?

Or what about a sentence like, 'I'll get her to do the dishes' - does conseguir work here or is there better a colloquial equivalent?

Gracias de antemano por cualquiera ayuda, como siempre

Answer 1

Sure, you can say (for example): Intenté conseguir que participara.

To my ears (still under development) using conseguir where you in English would say "get someone to do something" sounds a bit more formal than using hacer, for example. Intenté hacerla participar would be an informal way.

Yes. however, to me, "hacer que" means something closer to "make him/her do it". - Gekkosan, Feb 14, 2011

Agreed. I think the "Intentar" there kind of evens it out, though. - Vikingo, Feb 14, 2011

Gracias a los dos :) - Kiwi-Girl, Feb 14, 2011

Answer 2

I have seen conseguir used this way but I can´t tell you how common it is. The format conseguir que + subjunctive

gracias por tu respuesta :) - Kiwi-Girl, Feb 14, 2011