Llevar vs. Traer

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trina

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Does anyone else get these 2 mixed up? Angel corrects me, I swear, every single day for confusing these two verbs. I can't understand why I have so many problems with them.
 

MommC

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I tend to remember this......

llevar is to take out....carry away
traer is to bring in....carry with you

May not be literal but it helps me use them properly..... :glasses:
 

Keith R

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Hi Trina. Yes, I get the two mixed up frequently, and am often corrected. :ermm: MommC is essentially right -- llevar is to carry away or take away, traer is to bring or to carry with.

Or is it the other way around???? :confused: :confused: Help, Profe Lesley!
 

trina

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Keith R said:
Hi Trina. Yes, I get the two mixed up frequently, and am often corrected. :ermm: MommC is essentially right -- llevar is to carry away or take away, traer is to bring or to carry with.

Or is it the other way around???? :confused: :confused: Help, Profe Lesley!


Hi Keith! You are right, I've finally found a way to remember it, but I have to think about it every time I say it, or for sure, I will confuse them.

traer is bring
llevar is take

I am starting to remember it by reasoning that traer is NOT "take"; so the 2 "t's" don't go together.
 

mkohn

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Here in the US, we often mis use "coming and going."
In Spanish it's all about the destination.
It seems llevar and traer are similar.

Tengo que llevar mi amigo a la clinica. Se siente malo.
I have to take my friend to the clinic. He feels sick.

At the clinic: Gracias por haberme traido a la clinica. Me siento mejor.
Thanks for bringing me to the clinic. I feel better.

mkohn
 

arturo

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llevar/traer

Anna Coniglio said:
Can someone give an example by putting them in sentences.

Thanks

Professor Lesley, please don't forget to explain the many uses of "llevar," e.g. to express a comparative difference (los norteamericanos no llevan mucho a los canadienses), to describe ingredients (la ensalada no lleva carne, los nombres plurales llevan un "s"), to express the concept of theft, loss, or removal (me llevaron la yipeta, me llevaron mil y pico pesos en el casino), and to express bringing someone to a location or an event (llevame al concierto de Frank Reyes porfa).
 

miguel

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Here it goes!

Anna Coniglio said:
Can someone give an example by putting them in sentences.

Thanks
NOT THE "PROFE" but here it goes!

1- Voy a LLEVAR el carro al mecanico (I will take the car to the machanic or taking the care to the mechanic).

2- TRAEME eso aqui (Bring me that over here).

1- Yo TRAIGO
2- Tu TRAES
3- El TRAE
4- Ella TRAE
5- Ellos TRAEN
6- Usted TRAE
7- Ustedes TRAEN
8- Nosotros TRAEMOS
9- Vosotros (well, forgert about it)
-----------------------------------
1- Yo LLEVO
2- Tu LLEVAS
3- El LLEVA
4- Ella LLEVA
5- Ellos LLEVAN
6- Usted LLEVA
7- Ustedes LLEVAN
8- Nosotros LLEVAMOS.

Arturo, you forgot to write "LE" on your sentence "Los norteamericanos no "LE" llevan mucho a los canadienses".


PEOPLE, all you need to do is put 1-7 into sentences and your spanish will get much better in no time. It's not as hard as it seems.
 
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Marianopolita

Former Spanish forum Mod 2010-2021
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Hope this helps

The basic meaning of ?traer vs. llevar?:

Sometimes it helps to visualize scenarios:

Casa <------------ Trina trae un paquete a casa. <------ Trina
Casa ------------> Trina lleva el paquete al ni?o -------> ni?o


Definition (with respect to the examples above):

Traer= to bring (as in ?llevar consigo?)

Llevar= to take something to someone (llevar algo a alguien) or to take someone somewhere.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are many secondary meanings of ?llevar? (as mentioned by Arturo) definitely way too many to list here. However, the meaning is definitely understood from the context.

Examples of common meanings:

1) Llevar (to wear clothing etc.)= Llevo gafas/lentes. (I wear glasses)

2) Llevar (?tener?- de alguna manera) ? to wear her hair long/short? = Lleva el pelo largo. (She has long hair)

3) Llevar (to take time)= Me llev? un d?a preparar la comida. (It took me one day to prepare the meal).

4) Llevar (pasar tiempo)= Llevo tres meses aqu?. (I have been here for three months).


From Arturo?s examples (which are excellent and are explanations (indirectly) of usage) the meaning has to be learned and practiced.

To further define Arturo's examples:

1) Llevar (to express comparative differences)= Los americanos no llevan mucho a los canadienses. (In this context ?llevar? is used to mean ?sobrepasar en?).

2) Llevar (to describe ingredients)= La ensalada no lleva carne. (The usage here is idiomatic. When describing ingredients the verb required is ?llevar?).

3) Llevar (theft) = Me llevaron la yipeta. (The usage here is idiomatic too. ?Llevar? can be used for theft).

4) Llevar (to express bringing someone to a location or an event)= Ll?vame al concierto de Frank Reyes. (This usage is covered above in my definition of ?llevar?).



LDG.
 
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