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"Seguir" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to follow", and "pedir" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to ask for". Learn more about the difference between "seguir" and "pedir" below.
seguir(
seh
-
geer
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to follow
Sígueme y te enseño el camino a casa.Follow me and I will show you the way home.
Los niños siguieron a su padre hasta el parque.The children followed their dad to the park.
4. (to study)
a. to follow
Millones de adolescentes siguen al cantante en Twitter.Millions of teenagers follow the singer on Twitter.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
6. (to resume)
a. to carry on
¿Seguimos o prefieres tomar un descanso?Shall we carry on or would you rather have a break?
b. to go on
No podemos seguir así. Hay que hacer algo.We can't go on like this. We have to do something.
c. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
¿Tu hermana sigue acusándote de haberle robado la pulsera?Is your sister still accusing you of stealing her bracelet?
Seguimos bailando hasta no poder más.We kept dancing until we couldn't go on anymore.
a. to carry on
Sigan por el malecón unos cinco minutos y verán el restaurante a la derecha.Carry on along the boardwalk for five minutes and you'll see the restaurant on your right.
b. to keep going
Siga todo recto hasta el banco y luego doble a la izquierda.Keep going straight ahead as far as the bank and then turn left.
11. (to persist)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Seguimos sin saber si van a venir a la boda o no.We still don't know if they're coming to the wedding or not.
Mejor que aplacemos la salida porque sigue nevando.We'd better delay our departure because it is still snowing.
seguirse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
12. (to deduce)
a. to follow
Por tus malas notas se sigue que no has estudiado en absoluto.From your bad grades, it follows that you have not studied at all.
a. to follow
Las etiquetas HTML en esta secuencia deben seguirse una tras otra sin un espacio intermedio.The HTML tags in this sequence need to follow one after the other without an intervening space.
pedir(
peh
-
deer
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to solicit)
b. to ask
No necesitas pedir permiso para ir al baño.You don't have to ask permission to go to the bathroom.
c. to request
Si tienes más de 1,000 puntos, puedes pedir un regalo.If you have more than 1,000 points, you can request a gift.
a. to beg
Había muchos indigentes pidiendo dinero en el metro.There were lots of homeless people begging for money in the metro.
4. (commerce)
b. to ask for (a price)
Están pidiendo $300 por taquilla para el concierto.They're asking $300 per ticket for the concert.
5. (to command)
b. to request
Los clientes pueden pedir en todo momento un libro de reclamaciones.Customers may request a complaints book at any time.
6. (to require)
a. to need
Esta posición pide un mínimo de cinco años de experiencia.This position needs a minimum of five years of work experience.
b. to cry out for
Este cachorro pide atención constantemente.This puppy is constantly crying out for attention.
8. (legal)
a. to ask for
El acusado le pidió al juez una sentencia más corta.The defendant asked the judge for a shorter sentence.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to order
¿Me da un minuto, por favor? Aún no sé lo que voy a pedir.Would you give me another minute, please? I still don't know what I'm going to order.
10. (religious)
a. to pray
Mi abuela siempre pedía por cada uno de sus nietos.My grandmother used to pray for each and every one of her grandchildren.
pedirse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
11. (to claim)
a. to call dibs on (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
¡Me pido el asiento delantero!I call dibs on the front seat!
b. to bag (colloquial) (United Kingdom)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Alguien ya se había pedido la mesa de la ventana.Someone had already bagged the table by the window.
a. to order oneself
Voy a pedirme un café. ¿Quieres algo?I'm going to order myself a coffee. Do you want something?
