agarrar

to grab

agarrar(ah-gah-rrahr)

transitive verb

1. (to grasp with the hands)

a. to grab

Lo agarró de la mano y siguieron por el camino de baldosas amarillas.

She grabbed him by the hand, and they continued down the yellow-brick road.

b. to take

Agarra unas galletas si quieres.

Take some cookies if you want.

c. to take hold of

El caballero agarró la espada y remató al dragón.

The knight took hold of the sword and finished off the dragon.

d. to grip (with force)

Hay que agarrar bien el mango del martillo.

You have to really grip the handle of the hammer.

e. to grasp (with force)

Extendió la mano para agarrar el Santo Grial.

She reached out to grasp the Holy Grail.

f. to seize (by force)

La policía agarró las armas que encontraron en la casa.

The police seized the arms they found in the house.

g. to catch (a projectile)

¡Agarra la pelota!

Catch the ball!

h. to hold on to

Agarra esta bolsa por un segundo.

Hold on to this bag for a second.

i. to hold

Agarraba una espada y me dijo que le entregara todo el oro que tuviera.

He was holding a sword and told me to give him all the gold I had.

2. (to capture)

a. to catch

La gente del pueblo montaron en sus caballos y se marcharon para agarrar al ladrón.

The townspeople got on their horses and left to catch the thief.

3. (to take possession of)

a. to get hold of

Si podemos agarrar el tesoro, seremos ricos.

If we can get hold of the treasure, we'll be rich.

4. (to understand)

a. to get

Hablo bien español, pero a veces no agarro los chistes que cuenta la gente.

I speak Spanish well, but sometimes I don't get the jokes that people tell.

5.

(colloquial)

(to become sick with)

a. to catch

He agarrado un resfriado muy malo.

I've caught a really bad cold.

6. (to surprise)

a. to catch

El profesor le agarró con una chuleta en la manga.

The teacher caught him with a cheat-sheet in his sleeve.

intransitive verb

7. (to grasp with the hands)

a. to hold on

Agarra bien para que no se caiga.

Hold on tightly so that it doesn't fall.

8. (to go)

(Latin America)

a. to take

Agarra por la primera calle y sube desde allí.

Take the first right, and then go up from there.

b. to head

La familia agarró para el campo para pasar un día tranquilo allí.

The family headed for the country to spend a relaxing day there.

c. to up

(colloquial)

(used with another verb)

Si no tratas un poco mejor a tu novia, va a agarrar e irse.

If you don't treat your girlfriend better, she's going to up and leave.

9. (botany)

a. to take root

La planta no agarra si la tierra está demasiado suelta.

The plant won't take root if the earth is too loose.

10. (to have traction)

a. to grip

No me gustan tanto esas llantas porque no agarran en las curvas.

I don't like these tires as much because they don't grip on the curves.

11. (color)

a. to take

No sé qué pasa. El tinte no agarra.

I don't know what's wrong. The dye isn't taking.

12. (to do something abruptly)

(Latin America)

a. to up (used with another verb)

Agarró y se fue sin decir nada.

He upped and left without saying anything.

agarrarse

pronominal verb

13. (to clutch)

a. to hold on

El marinero se agarró al mástil con toda su fuerza.

The sailor held on to the mast with all his might.

b. to grip

El gato se cayó después de agarrar la rama que se rompió.

The cat fell after it gripped the broken branch.

14. (to become adhered to)

a. to stick

Los huevos se agarraron a la sartén porque no le pusiste aceite.

The eggs stuck to the pan because you didn't use oil.

15. (to get into a fight)

(Latin America)

a. to have a fight

Esos dos muchachos van a agarrarse si alguien no los separa.

Those two guys are going to have a fight if someone doesn't separate them.

16.

(colloquial)

(to become)

a. to get

Anoche salimos a la disco y nos agarramos una borrachera.

Last night we went out to a club and got good and drunk.

b. to be

Tu madre se agarrará un cabreo cuando se entere de esto.

Your mother is going to be pissed when she finds out about this.

17. (to give as pretext)

a.

no direct translation

Se agarró a los deberes para no tener que lavar los platos.

She used her homework as an excuse to not wash the dishes.

Te agarras a tu herida para evitar las tareas en casa.

You use your injury to get out of chores around the house.

agarrar

transitive verb

1. (asir)

a. to grab

me agarró de la cinturahe grabbed me by the waist

2. (atrapar; ladrón)

a. to catch

¡si la agarro, la mato!if I catch her I'll kill her!

me agarró desprevenidohe caught me off guard

3. (colloquial)

(Spain)

a. to catch

4. (tren, avión, autobús)

(Latin America)

a. to get, to take

5. (expresiones)

a.

agarrarla, agarrar una buenato get sloshed

esto no hay por dónde agarrarlothis is a mess!

intransitive verb

6. (tinte)

a. to take

7. (planta)

a. to take root

8. (encaminarse)

(Latin America)

a.

agarrar parato head for

agarró para la izquierdahe took a left

pronominal verb

9. (sujetarse)

a. to hold on

agarrarse deto hold on to

10. (fam fig)

a.

¡agárrate!guess what!

11. (pegarse)

a. to stick

el arroz se ha agarrado a la cazuelathe rice has stuck to the pot

12. (colloquial)

a. to scrap, to have a fight

agarrarse a golpesto get into a fistfight

13. (pretextar)

a.

agarrarse a algoto use something as an excuse

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

agarrar

transitive verb

1 (asir) (sujetando) to hold (on to)

agarra bien el bolso hold on to your handbag firmly; le señalaron falta por agarrar a un jugador contrario a free kick was given against him for holding on to one of the opposition; lo tuvo bien agarrado hasta que llegó la policía she held him until the police arrived

entró agarrada del brazo de su padre she came in holding her father's arm

iban agarrados del brazo they were walking arm in arm; me agarró del brazo he took me by the arm

(con violencia) to grab

agarró al niño por el hombro he grabbed the child by the shoulder; la agarró de los pelos y no la soltaba she grabbed her hair and refused to let her go

(con fuerza) to grip

la agarró fuertemente del brazo he gripped her arm tightly

2 (capturar) to catch

ya han agarrado al ladrón they've already caught the thief

3 [+resfriado] to catch

he agarrado un buen resfriado I've caught a nasty cold; lo tiene bien agarrado al pecho she's got a nasty chesty cough

agarrarla (emborracharse) to get plastered (familiar)

4 (conseguir) to get; wangle (familiar)

5 especialmente (Latinoamérica) (coger)

agarré otro pedazo de pastel I took another piece of cake; agarra el libro del estante take the book off the shelf; agarrar una flor to pick a flower; agarrar un tren to catch a train; la casa tiene tanto trabajo que no sé por dónde agarrarla the house needs such a lot doing to it, I don't know where to start

agarrar el vuelo (despegar) to take off

6 (Centroamérica) (Caribe) (México) (captar) to get (familiar); understand

7 (S. Cone)

agarrar a palos a algn to beat sb up (familiar)

8 (Caribe) to fuck (vulgar)

intransitive verb

1 (asir)

agarra por este extremo hold it by this end; take hold of it by this end

2 (Botánica) [+planta] to take (root)

3 [+color] to take

4 especialmente (Latinoamérica) (coger)

agarre por esta calle take this street; agarró y se fue he upped and went (familiar)

agarrar para (salir) to set out for

pronominal verb

agarrarse

1 (asirse) to hold on

¡agárrate bien! hold (on) tight!

agarrarse a o de algo to hold on to sth

agárrate bien a la barandilla hold on tight to the rail; necesita algo adonde agarrarse she needs something to hold on to; me agarré al asiento con todas mis fuerzas I held on to o gripped the seat with all my strength; se agarraron de los pelos they tore at each other's hair

¡agárrate! wait for it!; listen to this!

pues ahora agárrate, porque lo que te voy a contar es mucho peor I hope you're sitting down, because what I'm going to tell you now is much worse; —¿sabes que le ha tocado la quiniela? —¡agárrate! "did you know she won the pools?" — "never!"

2 (Automóviles) [+coche, neumático] to hold the road

este coche se agarra muy bien en las curvas this car holds the road very well on bends; estos neumáticos se agarran con fuerza al asfalto these tyres have excellent grip

agarrarse al camino

3 (como excusa)

agarrarse a algo

se agarra a cualquier excusa any (old) excuse will do him; se agarra a su mala salud para conseguir lo que quiere she uses her poor health as an excuse to get whatever she wants; se agarró a que era el mayor para hacerse cargo de la expedición he used the fact that he was the oldest to take charge of the expedition

4 (cogerse)

se agarró una buena borrachera he got well and truly plastered (familiar); me agarré un cabreo tremendo I got really narked (familiar); se agarró un buen berrinche cuando se enteró she threw a tantrum o fit when she found out

5 especialmente (Latinoamérica) (pelear) to have a fight

se agarraron a tiros they started shooting at each other; se agarraron a puñetazos they started hitting each other; la tenía agarrada conmigo he had it in for me (familiar)

agarrarla con algn

6 (Culin) (pegarse) to stick