In Spanish, traer and llevar are complementary verbs describing opposite directions of movement for people or things. Traer means to bring—making something move toward the speaker’s location. Llevar means to take (or to carry)—moving something away from where the speaker is. Mastering these verbs requires a clear sense of perspective: do you express arrival at your place (traer), or departure to another place (llevar)?
- traer = to bring (toward the speaker)
- llevar = to take/carry (away from the speaker)
- Both depend on the direction of movement relative to the speaker’s point of view.
Use *traer* when the action involves bringing something toward where the speaker (or listener, in that context) is located.
Meanings and Core Usage
| Verb | Meaning | Direction of Movement | Example (English) | Example (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traer | To bring | Toward the speaker | Bring me the book | Trae el libro aquí. |
| Llevar | To take/carry | Away from the speaker | Take this to your room | Lleva esto a tu habitación. |
- Traer focuses on arrival at the speaker’s place.
- Llevar focuses on departure from the speaker’s place.
*Traer* is used when the person or thing is brought to where you (the speaker) are or will be.*
*Llevar* is used when you move something away from your current location, toward another place.*
Conjugation Patterns
Both traer and llevar are regular in most forms except traer, which is irregular in the first person singular.
| Verb | Yo | Tú | Él/Ella/Ud. | Nosotros | Vosotros | Ellos/Uds. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traer | Traigo | Traes | Trae | Traemos | Traéis | Traen |
| Llevar | Llevo | Llevas | Lleva | Llevamos | Lleváis | Llevan |
- Traer: The yo form is traigo (not trao).
- Llevar: Fully regular.
The correct form is 'traigo.'
*llevar* is regular, but *traer* is irregular in the 'yo' form.
In preterite, *traer* uses 'traj-' and *llevar* uses the regular root 'llev-'.
Examples in Context
Traer (to bring toward the speaker)
- Cuando vengas a mi casa, trae la botella de vino.
(When you come to my house, bring the bottle of wine [to me/us].)
- ¿Puedes traerme el menú, por favor?
(Can you bring me the menu, please?)
- Traen sus ideas a la reunión todos los lunes.
(They bring their ideas to the meeting every Monday.)
Note: Use traer when the final destination of the action is where the speaker or listener resides or will reside.
You use *traer* when the destination is where the speaker/listener is or will be.
Llevar (to take/carry away from the speaker)
- Lleva esos papeles al colegio.
(Take those papers to school.)
- Cuando salgas de la oficina, lleva las llaves contigo.
(When you leave the office, take the keys with you.)
- Llevamos a los niños al parque los fines de semana.
(We take the kids to the park on weekends.)
Note: Use llevar when something moves away from the speaker’s current location (or presumed location).
You would use *llevar* because the instruction is to move something away from the speaker.
Reciprocal Nuance: Traer and Llevar in Requests and Commands
Traer and llevar also shine in commands, shifting the listener's perspective on the direction of movement:
- Use traer when you want the listener to bring something to you (or your group):
"Trae el informe cuando llegues." (Bring the report when you arrive [here].)
- Use llevar when instructing the listener to take something elsewhere:
"Lleva el informe a la recepción." (Take the report to reception [there].)
This subtle shift emphasizes the importance of knowing “where you are” in conversation.
You use 'traer' because you’re asking for something to be brought to where you are.
*Llevar* is correct when directing someone to move something away to another location.
Conclusion
Traer and llevar are essential for expressing movement in Spanish, and their correct use hinges on the perspective of the speaker. Bringing something toward the speaker calls for traer, while moving something away requires llevar.
- traer = to bring (toward the speaker)
- llevar = to take/carry (away from the speaker)
- Consider the direction of movement relative to the speaker’s position.