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"Pick up" is a transitive verb phrase which is often translated as "recoger", and "take" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "tomar". Learn more about the difference between "pick up" and "take" below.
pick up(
pihk
uhp
)A transitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and requires a direct object (e.g., take out the trash.).
1. (to collect)
a. recoger
Can you pick up your suit from the dry cleaner?¿Puedes recoger tu traje de la tintorería?
I'll pick Mom up from the airport.Yo recojo a mamá del aeropuerto.
c. pasar a buscar
If you need a ride, I can pick you up.Si necesitas un aventón, puedo pasarte a buscar.
3. (to answer)
4. (to learn)
b. agarrar (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
It was easy for her to pick up knitting.Le fue fácil agarrar el tejido.
5. (to arrest)
a. detener
The thief was hiding nearby until the police came and picked him up.El ladrón estaba escondiendo por aquí cerca hasta que vino la policía y lo detuvo.
b. agarrar
After a massive search, they finally picked up the criminals.Tras una búsqueda exhaustiva, finalmente agarraron a los criminales.
b. agarrar (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
My computer doesn't pick up your Wi-Fi.Mi computadora no agarra tu red inalámbrica.
7. (to restart)
a. retomar
Can we pick up the conversation where we left off?¿Podemos retomar la conversación donde nos quedamos?
8. (illness)
a. pillar
You're more likely to pick up that disease in hot places.Es más probable que pilles la enfermedad en lugares calurosos.
10. (colloquial) (to seduce)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. ligar con (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
He picked up a girl at the bar last night.Ligó con una chica en el bar anoche.
An intransitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and does not require a direct object (e.g., Everybody please stand up.).
11. (to improve)
12. (to strengthen)
a. levantarse
The wind's picking up; it's going to be a rough crossing.El viento se levanta; la travesía será dura.
a. contestar
I tried ringing my aunt several times, but she didn't pick up.Traté varias veces de llamar a mi tía, pero no contestó.
14. (to continue)
a. continuar
I found it impossible to pick up where I was before the interruption; I was too upset.Me fue imposible continuar por donde iba antes de la interrupción; estaba muy alterado.
take(
teyk
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
2. (to occupy)
a. tomar
Once there, take the second turn on the left.Una vez allí, toma el segundo desvío a la izquierda.
b. agarrar (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
We have to take the expressway to Arlington.Tenemos que agarrar la autopista que va a Arlington.
9. (to steal)
a. llevarse
I left the laptop in my car and someone took it.Dejé el portátil en el coche y alguien se lo llevó.
11. (to buy)
12. (to gather)
13. (to capture)
a. tomar (a city or a prisoner)
They took the city after a two-week battle.Tomaron la ciudad tras dos semanas de lucha.
14. (to obtain)
15. (to ingest)
a. tomar (medicine or food)
You have to take one tablet every four hours.Tiene que tomar una pastilla cada cuatro horas.
a. tener capacidad para
The stadium can take up to 75,000 people.El estadio tiene capacidad para 75,000 personas.
17. (to accept)
a. aceptar (cash or bribe)
This restaurant only takes cash.En este restaurante solo aceptan efectivo.
c. admitir (patients)
At the moment, the hospital cannot take any more patients.De momento, el hospital no puede admitir más pacientes.
18. (to support)
a. soportar
Our chairs are designed to take weights of up to 130 kg.Nuestras sillas están diseñadas para soportar pesos de hasta 130 kg.
19. (to suffer)
20. (to tolerate)
a. aguantar
Ever feel like you can't take it anymore?¿Alguna vez has sentido que ya no aguantabas más?
21. (to interpret)
22. (to understand)
a. entender
There are books and then there are books, if you take my meaning.Hay libros y hay libros, si me entiendes.
23. (to consider)
a. tomar
Take China, for example. It has fewer natural resources, but it is developing optimally.Tomemos por ejemplo a China. Tiene menos recursos naturales pero su desarrollo es óptimo.
b. mirar
Take Mark. He has already forgotten about the whole thing.Mira a Mark. A él ya se le ha olvidado completamente el asunto.
24. (to mistake)
25. (to carry out)
b. tomar (measures or decision)
If the ceasefire is not respected, we'll feel obliged to take appropriate measures.Si no se respeta el alto al fuego, nos veremos obligados a tomar las medidas oportunas.
26. (to study)
27. (to sit an exam)
a. presentarse a
State the reasons why you want to take the exam.Indique las razones por las que desea presentarse al examen.
28. (to require)
a. hacer falta
It took me several tries before I managed it.Me hicieron falta varios intentos antes de conseguirlo.
29. (to use)
b. aprovechar (opportunity)
I'll take this opportunity to thank you for all your support.Aprovecho la oportunidad para agradecerles todo su apoyo.
30. (to occupy time)
31. (to photograph)
32. (to write down)
33. (to measure)
34. (to believe)
a. ser de
He takes the view that design is nothing without function.Es de la opinión de que el diseño no es nada sin funcionalidad.
a. gustar
I am very taken with him, but do I really want to start a relationship?Me gusta mucho, pero ¿quiero de verdad meterme en una relación?
36. (to feel)
37. (to carry on)
a. continuar
I'll stop now and tomorrow we'll take it from here.Lo dejo aquí y mañana continuamos a partir de este punto.
38. (mathematics)
39. (grammar)
a. alquilar
We are taking an apartment in Venice for two months.Vamos a alquilar un apartamento en Venecia por dos meses.
a. dar clase a
He took us for maths in secondary school.Nos daba clase de matemáticas en bachillerato.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
42. (gardening)
43. (medicine)
a. surtir efecto (vaccine)
The vaccine took for some children, but not for others.En el caso de algunos niños la vacuna surtió efecto, en el de otros no.
44. (to kindle)
45. (to adhere)
46. (to receive)
a. recibir
You need to strike the right balance between giving and taking.Tienes que encontrar el equilibrio apropiado entre dar y recibir.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
47. (earnings)
a. la recaudación (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
For tax purposes, tips are estimated based on the take of the restaurant.A efectos impositivos, las propinas se calculan en base a la recaudación del restaurante.
48. (cinema)
49. (point of view)
a. la opinión (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
I'd love to hear his take on the subject.Me encantaría conocer su opinión sobre el tema.
50. (fishing)
a. la captura (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The law prohibits the take of species that are considered to be endangered.La ley prohíbe la captura de las especies que se consideran en peligro de extinción.
