The word “llevar” is one of the most versatile words in the Spanish language. There are 23 uses for “llevar” listed in my Spanish to Spanish dictionary.
But in today’s episode of the podcast, we will be looking at 3 common uses. We will look at one, in particular, that is extremely useful for getting to know someone.
I have had a few questions from subscribers recently that have asked for me to cover this tricky word. It is very similar to the word ‘poner‘ which has a lot of different uses as well. Of course, you don’t need to know all 23 the uses of ‘llevar’. But you should get to know the 3 that we are going to look at today.
Other episodes mentioned:
Examples from the episode:
To take away – Para llevar.
To take away or to eat here – Para llevar o para tomar aquí.
To eat here – Para tomar aquí.
I can’t carry anything else – No puedo llevar nada más.
You have to carry a lot of water – Tienes que llevar mucha agua.
To wear clothes – Llevar ropa.
She is always wearing fashionable clothing – Ella siempre lleva ropa de moda.
I think it’s important that people wear clothes for the situation – Creo que es importante que la gente lleva ropa por la situación.
In fashion – de moda.
Fashion label clothing – Ropa de marca.
Do you like to wear fashionable clothes – ¿Te gusta llevar ropa de marca?
It depends on the situation. When I go out I like to wear brand clothes but at home I tend to wear unbranded clothes. – Depende de la situación. Cuando salgo me gusta llevar ropa de marca, pero en casa suelo llevar ropa de marca blanca.
Off label – marca blanca.
How long have you been learning Spanish? – ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas aprendiendo español?
I have been learning spanish for 2 years – Llevo aprendiendo español durante dos años.
How long have you been working at the school – ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas trabajando en la escuela?
I have been living in Melbourne for 12 years – Llevo viviendo en Melbourne doce años.
I have been living in Melbourne since 2002 – Llevo viviendo en Melbourne desde 2002.
To have been doing something for a long time – llevar mucho tiempo haciendo algo.
Quote for today:
“No pienses tanto solo dejate llevar” – Don’t over think it, just go with the flow.
How can you use “llevar” in a sentence?
Podcast: Play in new window
Your podcasts and tips are very helpful, Andrew!
One question: in which circumstances do you use durante or por (e.g., for two years) and when do you simply say the amount of time (dos horas, dos meses) without the preposition?
Thanks for the question Dotti. In a lot of contexts, they are interchangeable. I encourage students to use ‘durante’ because it saves having to decide between por and para, but even more important it is often the most natural choice that natives will use.
That makes sense!
Thank you!
It’s confusing when you render eat as tomar, when you say mucha (instead of mucho) agua. How about proofreading?
We do spend time proofreading and, of course, we have made mistakes from time to time. That said “mucha agua” is perfectly correct in Spanish. Please feel free to check this in your preferred online translator. In addition, “tomar” is a tricky verb to translate into English because we don’t ‘take a coffee’ or ‘take icecream’ in English, that why we have chosen the verb “to eat”. We also could have chosen “to have” as a possible translation of “tomar” in this phrase.
Hi, I have been learning Spanish for about 9 months and find your posts and weekly emails very helpful!
Prior to this post, I would have said, “He estado aprendiendo español durante nueve meses”. Is this correct? Or is it better to say as you indicated, “Llevo aprendiendo español…”? I wonder if I am still looking for a word for word translation at this point, rather than “thinking in Spanish” as your other recent posts have talked about.
Yes, that’s exactly right Tim! The phrase “he estado aprediendo…” is a direct translation from English and doesn’t work exactly as we expect it to in Spanish. This sentence is possible but it is much better to go for the version with “llevar” because the meaning will work the way we want it to.
A Spanish speaking friend of mine uses llevar to mean – to get along with ,”me llevo bien”
Is this reflexive?
And how common is this usage?
Marc
Yes, this is reflexive and this usage works well.
Your observation on el agua brought to mind two other feminine words using el, these are EL ALMA the soul and El HAMBRE the hunger. I think it is to do with them starting with an A (silent h in hambre)
Yes, that is exactly right Peter! 🙂
This is the first podcast that Ihave listened to and found your pronounciation of the ll as j sounding odd as I have always thought that ll sounded as more of a y sound.
Hola Peter, the “ll” is one of the most varying sounds throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Sometimes it is close to a “y”, sometimes it is close to a “j” and sometimes it is close to a “sh” sound. Unless your focus is the Spanish of Argentina, if you get a sound that is somewhere between an English “y” and an English “j”, this is good enough to be understood by any Spanish native. But, the thing to really focus on is the vowels since the vowels tend to cause more problems for English natives learning Spanish.
Can you explain this translation- referring to a road – “Lo llevará directamente a casa ……“ It will take you directly home ” .
I understand llevara is third person future , but why is it “ lo” here for taking “ you “?
Hola Marc, it’s a slightly unusual example, and it would be worth checking the source of the phrase. But, sometimes “lo” can behave like a formal “you” (usted).
I have been reading your posts and love them. I have a problem but wonder if it is me or typical… although I’m afraid it is me!
I have trouble understanding when people speak to me in Spanish. I write better than I speak. I speak with hesitation. Are there classes for me? Private? Thank you.
Hola Sandra, it’s definitely not you! 🙂 Everyone can read and write better than they speak, including me! I will send you a note about the classes.
Love your posts. How about el arpa y el arca? x
Yes, they are also good suggestions, thanks for sharing Wendy! 🙂
I have learned so much from your lessons! Muchas gracias! This post on llevar has been especially helpful as I have wanted to know “what tense” do I use if I want to say, “I have been doing something” for a certain amount of time. I never would have thought that it isn’t actually a tense! Now I can tell my Mexican friends: “Llevo estudiando español dos años”.
Just a question regarding llevar for wearing clothes. Is llevar interchangeable with usar to talk about what a person is wearing?
Thanks Lynne, I’m glad you enjoyed the lesson! I’m not sure about the sentences you are thinking of when you ask about the verb “usar” and it’s possible but “llevar” is probably the more common option.
¡Hola! Llevo aprendiendo español durantes tres años, pero todavía estoy tímido hablándolo. Si me uno tú clase en línea, ¿puedo escuchar por un rato sin hablando mucho?
Hola Paula, ¡muy bien! 🙂
El alma?
¡Sí, perfecto Stephen! 😊
Hi Andrew,
I thought of another word that might be similar to agua in regards to gender articles. El águila uses the masculine article even the word is feminine just like agua.
Thanks for your ever so helpful articles. I always learn a lot from you!
Scott
Thanks for sharing Scott!! 🙂
Wonderful, as usual. In an older, more refined world, we did “take” tea or a glass of wine , but times change as you say.
Yes, true! Thanks for sharing Susan 🙂