Llevar and traer both mean "to carry" or "to bring" in Spanish, but they are used in different contexts based on the direction of movement relative to the speaker or listener. Llevar means to take something from the current location to another place (away from the speaker), while traer means to bring something toward the speaker's current location.
Usage
- Llevar = to take something somewhere else (away from the current location).
- Traer = to bring something here (toward the current location).
Examples:
- Llevar el libro a la escuela. (Take the book to school.)
- Traer el libro a casa. (Bring the book home.)
What question should you ask yourself to decide whether to use llevar or traer?
Am I taking something away or bringing something here?
The key to choosing is the direction of movement: llevar = taking away, traer = bringing here.
Conjugations
Here are the present tense conjugations for both verbs:
Llevar (to take/carry away)
| Spanish Pronoun | Llevar | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | llevo | I take/carry |
| tú | llevas | You take/carry |
| él/ella | lleva | He/she takes/carries |
| nosotros | llevamos | We take/carry |
| ellos/as | llevan | They take/carry |
Traer (to bring)
| Spanish Pronoun | Traer | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | traigo | I bring |
| tú | traes | You bring |
| él/ella | trae | He/she brings |
| nosotros | traemos | We bring |
| ellos/as | traen | They bring |
Practical Examples
Llevar (Take something somewhere else)
- Llevo comida a la fiesta. (I take food to the party.)
- Ella lleva su mochila al colegio. (She takes her backpack to school.)
- Nosotros llevamos los documentos al banco. (We take the documents to the bank.)
Traer (Bring something here)
- Traigo una botella de agua. (I bring a bottle of water.)
- ¿Puedes traerme un lápiz? (Can you bring me a pencil?)
- Ellos traen regalos a la casa. (They bring gifts to the house.)
I take food to the party.
Llevo comida a la fiesta.
Llevar is used because the action involves taking food away from the current location to another place.
Summary Table
| Spanish Verb | English Meaning | Direction of Movement | Example in Spanish | Example in English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Llevar | to take, to carry | Away from current location | Llevo el libro a la escuela. | I take the book to school. |
| Traer | to bring | Toward current location | Traigo el libro a casa. | I bring the book home. |
Remember: Ask yourself, "Am I taking something away (llevar) or bringing something here (traer)?"
Flashcards (1 of 12)
- Llevar: llevo
- English Example: I take/carry
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
