The verb levantar means "to lift," "to raise," or "to bring up," and it is used when someone causes something to be moved or elevated. Its reflexive form, levantarse, is used when the subject performs the action on themselves, meaning "to get up" or "to rise" (usually from bed or a seated position).
- levantar: to lift, raise, or bring up (something)
- levantarse: to get up, rise (oneself)
Levantar: to Lift, Raise, or Bring Up
Levantar is a regular -ar verb that focuses on raising or lifting objects, people, or even abstract ideas like raising a hand or bringing up a topic.
- levantar (conjugation)
- Can be physical (lifting a box) or figurative (raising a question)
Usage and Examples
| Subject | Example (Spanish) | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Woman | Ella levanta la mano. | She raises her hand. |
| Group (mixed) | Ellos levantan cajas. | They lift boxes. |
| You (formal) | Usted levanta la voz. | You raise your voice. |
*levantar* is for raising or lifting.
Levantarse: to Get Up, Rise (Reflexive)
Levantarse is the reflexive form of levantar, used when the subject does the action to themselves. It means "to get up" or "to rise" from bed, a chair, or any resting position.
- Reflexive: requires reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se)
- Commonly used for daily routines (morning wake-up)
Usage and Examples
| Subject | Example (Spanish) | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Man | Él se levanta temprano. | He gets up early. |
| Women (group) | Ellas se levantan rápido. | They get up quickly. |
| You (informal) | ¿Te levantas a las siete? | Do you get up at seven? |
*levantarse* is for when you get up or rise yourself.
Comparison Table
| Aspect | Levantar | Levantarse |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | To lift, raise | To get up, rise (oneself) |
| Use | Raising/moving something | Subject rises/gets up (reflexive) |
| Verb Type | Regular -ar | Reflexive (-ar) |
| Typical Context | Physical/figurative lifting | Waking up, standing up |
| Example | Ella levanta la caja. | Ella se levanta temprano. |
Use *levantar* for lifting something: 'Ella levanta la caja.'
Use *levantarse* for getting up: 'Él se levanta temprano.'
Conclusion
Levantar and levantarse show how action changes with perspective in Spanish:
- Levantar = to raise or lift (something)
- Levantarse = to get up/ rise (oneself)