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"Remover" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to stir", and "quitar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to remove". Learn more about the difference between "remover" and "quitar" below.
remover(
rreh
-
moh
-
behr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to move)
a. to stir
Juan removió la taza de leche con azúcar con la cuchara.Juan stirred the cup of milk and sugar with the spoon.
b. to toss
Remueve la ensalada antes de servirla, por favor.Toss the salad before serving it, please.
c. to shake
Mario removió la medicina en el agua y se la tomó rápidamente.Mario shook the medicine in the water and drank it quickly.
d. to turn over (soil)
Tuvimos que remover la tierra del jardín antes de plantar la albahaca.We had to turn over the soil in the garden before planting the basil.
f. to poke at (ember)
Marisa removió las brasas de la barbacoa.Marisa poked at the embers of the barbecue.
a. to bring up
Por favor, no remuevas lo de mi divorcio si no quieres que me enfade.Please don't bring up my divorce if you don't want to see me angry.
a. to stir up
Todos quienes han tratado de remover el pasado han resultado muertos.Everyone who's tried stirring up the past has wound up dead.
b. to rake up
Escribir mi autobiografía ha removido muchos recuerdos de la guerra.Writing my autobiography has raked up many memories of the war.
c. to revive
El olor de sopa de bolas de matzo siempre remueve recuerdos de la cocina de mi abuela.The smell of matzo ball soup always revives memories of my grandmother's kitchen.
4. (to fire) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
a. to remove
Removieron a mi padre de su trabajo dos años después de empezar.My father was removed from his job two years after he started there.
b. to dismiss
La empresa decidió remover a cien empleados de repente.The company suddenly decided to dismiss a hundred employees.
a. to remove
El doctor me aconseja tener una operación para remover el tumor en mi hígado.The doctor recommended surgery to remove the tumor on my liver.
removerse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to fidget
María se remueve en su asiento cuando se aburre.María fidgets in her seat when she is bored.
b. to toss and turn
Sara no podía dejar de removerse en la cama la noche antes del examen.Sara couldn't stop tossing and turning the night before the exam.
a. to move around
Removíamos mucho cuando era niño porque mi padre era un diplomático.We moved around a lot when I was a kid because my father was a diplomat.
quitar(
kee
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
2. (to grab)
a. to take away
Le quité la carta que le había escrito.I took the letter I had written away from him.
3. (to ease)
b. to take away
Le dieron morfina para quitar el dolor que sufrió después del accidente.They gave him morphine to take away the pain he suffered after the accident.
4. (to consume)
5. (to exclude)
a. except for
Quitando las almendras, me gustan todos los frutos secos.Except for almonds, I like all nuts.
quitarse
A reflexive verb is a verb that indicates that the subject performs an action on itself (e.g., Miguel se lava.).
a. to take off
Quítense la ropa mojada antes de entrar a la casa.Take off your wet clothes before entering the house.
