The Ultimate Guide to the Spanish Verb 'Echar': 10+ Meanings You Need to Know

Have you ever stumbled upon a Spanish verb that seems to pop up everywhere, meaning something different each time? If so, you've probably met the verb echar.

At first glance, echar looks simple. But this little verb is a true chameleon, a Swiss Army knife in the world of Spanish verbs. It can mean anything from "to throw" and "to add" to "to fire" and "to miss."

Mastering echar is a huge step toward sounding more natural and fluent. To practice using these verbs in context, check out our Spanish Stories.

So, let's dive in and explore the many faces of this incredibly useful verb!

1. To Throw, Put, or Add

This is the most direct and physical meaning of echar. It's about moving something from one place to another, often in a casual way. Think of it as a softer version of "to throw."

• To Add: When you're cooking, echar is your go-to verb for adding ingredients. Learn more about Food and Meals vocabulary.

  • ¿Puedes echar más salsalt a la ensalada? (Can you add more salt to the salad?)
  • Eché dos huevoseggs a la mezcla. (I added two eggs to the mix.)

• To Put: This is for placing something somewhere.

  • Echa la carta en el buzónmailbox, por favor. (Put the letter in the mailbox, please.)

• To Throw (Gently):

  • Me echó las llaves desde la ventana. (She threw me the keys from the window.)

2. To Kick Out or To Fire

Moving into more figurative territory, echar can mean to remove someone from a place or a job. It's direct and a bit informal.

• El profesor lo echó de la clase por hablar. (The teacher kicked him out of class for talking.)
• Mi jefe me echó sin darme una razón. (My boss fired me without giving me a reason.)

Let's see if you've got this one.

3. To Sprout or Grow

When talking about plants, echar describes the action of sprouting leaves, roots, or flowers. This is often used when discussing The Environment and Conservation.

• La planta está echando flores nuevas. (The plant is sprouting new flowers.)
• Este árbol echa raíces muy profundas. (This tree grows very deep roots.)

4. To Give or To Have (Expressions)

This is where echar truly shines. It's a key part of many common, everyday expressions. Learning these will instantly boost your fluency. You can find more Idiomatic Expressions and Sayings in our vocabulary guides.

• Echar un vistazo / un ojo (To have a look)

  • ¿Puedes echarle un vistazo a mi ensayo? (Can you have a look at my essay?)

• Echar una mano (To lend a hand)

  • Mi vecino siempre me echa una mano con el jardín. (My neighbor always lends me a hand with the garden.)

• Echar la siesta (To take a nap)

  • Después de almorzar, me gusta echar una siesta. (After lunch, I like to take a nap.)

• Echar gasolina (To put gas/petrol)

  • Tengo que parar para echar gasolina. (I have to stop to get gas.)

Let's practice building one of these sentences!

5. Echar de menos (To Miss)

This is one of the most important echar expressions. It’s how you say you miss someone or something. It might seem strange to English speakers, but it's used constantly to express Feelings and States of Mind.

• Echo de menos a mi familia cuando viajo. (I miss my family when I travel.)
• Echaba de menos la comida de mi país. (I used to miss the food from my country.)

The literal translation makes no sense. Remember to learn echar de menos as a complete chunk of vocabulary!

6. Echar a + Infinitive (To Start Doing Something)

When you combine echar a with another verb in its infinitive form (like correr, reír, llorar), it means "to suddenly start" doing that action. This is an example of a Verbal Periphrasis.

• Cuando vio el perro, echó a correr. (When he saw the dog, he started running.)
• Todos echaron a reír con su chiste. (Everyone started laughing at his joke.)
• El bebé echó a llorar. (The baby started to cry.)

7. Echar la culpa (To Blame)

If you need to place the blame on someone, this is the phrase you're looking for.

• No me eches la culpa a mí, ¡yo no fui! (Don't blame me, it wasn't me!)
• Siempre le echa la culpa a su hermano pequeño. (He always blames his little brother.)

Wrapping Up

The verb echar is a testament to how flexible and expressive Spanish can be. While it may seem intimidating at first, think of it as a key that unlocks dozens of new phrases.

Start by focusing on the most common uses: adding ingredients (echar sal), having a look (echar un vistazo), and missing someone (echar de menos). As you listen to and read more Spanish, you'll start noticing echar everywhere, and its many meanings will become second nature.

¡No te rindas y sigue echando ganas! (Don't give up and keep putting in the effort!)