Basic Meaning of Bring and Take
Bring and take are verbs that express movement involving an object, but they differ in the direction of that movement relative to the speaker or listener. Bring implies moving something closer or toward the speaker or listener’s current location, while take suggests moving something away from the speaker or listener’s current location.
Bring: Movement Towards the Speaker or Listener
Use bring when the movement is directed toward the place where the speaker or listener is or will be. For example, if you are at home and ask someone to carry something to your home, you say, “Please bring the book to my house.” The key idea is that the object moves closer to the point of reference.
Take: Movement Away from the Speaker or Listener
Use take when the movement is directed away from where the speaker or listener is or will be. For example, if you are at home and tell someone to move an object to another place, you say, “Please take the book to the library.” This shows that the object is moving away from the current location of the speaker or listener.
Examples to Understand Direction
- If you invite a friend to your party, you might say, “Bring your favorite drink.” This means the friend moves the drink toward you and the party location.
- If you ask someone to return a book to the school, you say, “Take the book back to school.” The book moves away from your location toward the school.
Tips for Learners of English
When deciding between bring and take, think about the location of the speaker or listener and where the object is going. If the object moves toward your place, use bring; if it moves away, use take. This understanding helps to use these verbs properly in conversation.
