Hemos ido a tomar un café
We went out for a coffee.
In the office hallway she explains where she was: a coffee together and nothing more. After a preposition like a, the verb stays in its dictionary form.
From Suits · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "take" in Spanish
tomar
verbregular -aryo tomo
"Take" in Spanish is usually tomar, the verb for drinks, medicine and transport: tomar un café, tomar el autobús. To take something or someone to another place, use llevar. Spain also says coger for catching a bus or grabbing something, but in much of Latin America that word is vulgar slang, so tomar is the safer choice there.
Hear "tomar" in real movie scenes
Two scenes, and both are about a drink. Each video starts and stops on that line.
No tomo alcohol nunca.
I never drink alcohol.
A line that ends the discussion when someone offers you a drink. The -o ending of tomo is how you talk about yourself.
From Héroe de centro comercial · Spanish audio
Tomar, llevar, coger, sacar or quitar?
English uses take for all of these. Spanish picks a verb by what you do with the thing.
| Verb | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| tomar | Drinks, medicine, a bus, train or taxi | Tomo el metro. (I take the subway.) |
| llevar | Taking something or someone to a place | Te llevo al aeropuerto. (I'll take you to the airport.) |
| coger | Grabbing or catching, mostly in Spain | Coge las llaves. (Grab the keys.) |
| sacar | Taking something out | Saca la basura. (Take out the trash.) |
| quitarse | Taking off clothes | Quítate los zapatos. (Take off your shoes.) |
Tip: In Madrid you'll hear coger all day long. In Mexico or Argentina, swap it for tomar or agarrar to avoid an awkward laugh.
Grammar: tomar, tomo, toma
Four points that cover most of what you'll say with tomar.
A regular -ar verb
tomo, tomas, toma, tomamos, tomáis, toman. The ending shows who: tomo is I, toman is they.Tomar often means have
For drinks Spanish says tomar where English says have: ¿Qué vas a tomar? What are you having?After antes de and después de
Keep the dictionary form: después de tomar un café. Never después de tomo.Stress on the end
Say to-MAR. The final r is one quick tap of the tongue.Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
Tomo un café.
I'm having a coffee.
Toma el autobús.
She takes the bus.
Me despierto y tomo un té.
I wake up and have a cup of tea.
No tomo alcohol nunca.
I never drink alcohol.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗después de tomo un café
✓después de tomar un café
A preposition is followed by the infinitive, so the -ar ending stays.
✗Tomo a mi hermana al colegio (giving someone a ride)
✓Llevo a mi hermana al colegio
Moving a person or thing to another place is llevar.
✗Cojo un taxi (in Mexico City)
✓Tomo un taxi
Mexicans hear coger as a rude word. Tomar sounds normal in every country.
Practice: 3 quick exercises
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1 of 3 · Watch and choose
What do you hear in the video?
The other 33 exercises on this topic are in the app.
How to remember it
Picture a guy named Tom who takes everything in reach: the coffee, the pills, the last seat on the bus. Tom-ar is what Tom does.
Questions about "take" in Spanish
How do you say take in Spanish?
Most often tomar: tomar el autobús, tomar una pastilla. When you take something or someone somewhere, say llevar.
What's the difference between tomar and llevar?
Tomar is taking something for yourself, like a drink, a pill or a train. Llevar is carrying or bringing something to a place: Te llevo a casa.
Is coger a bad word in Spanish?
It depends on the country. In Spain coger is an ordinary verb for take or grab, while in Mexico, Argentina and much of Latin America it's crude slang, so use tomar or agarrar there.
How do you say "take a picture" in Spanish?
Sacar una foto works everywhere. You'll also hear hacer una foto in Spain and tomar una foto in Latin America.
