agarrar
“agarrar” means “to grab” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to grab, to hold
Also: to seize, to take
📝 In Action
Agarré el paraguas antes de salir porque estaba lloviendo.
A2I grabbed the umbrella before leaving because it was raining.
Por favor, agarra mi mano, el suelo está resbaladizo.
A2Please, hold my hand, the floor is slippery.
to catch, to get
Also: to understand
📝 In Action
Si no te abrigas bien, vas a agarrar un resfriado.
B1If you don't bundle up well, you are going to catch a cold.
Llegamos tarde y no pudimos agarrar el último autobús.
B1We arrived late and couldn't catch the last bus.
Me costó un poco, pero al final agarré la idea del profesor.
B2It took me a while, but in the end I grasped the professor's idea.
to cling, to fight
Also: to hold on
📝 In Action
Agárrate bien a la barandilla, el barco se mueve mucho.
B2Hold on tightly to the railing, the boat is moving a lot.
Los dos vecinos se agarraron por culpa del ruido.
C1The two neighbors got into a fight because of the noise.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: agarrar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'agarrar' in the figurative sense of 'to catch an illness'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the older Spanish word 'garra,' meaning 'claw' or 'talon.' Over time, 'agarrar' developed to mean using your hands to take hold of something firmly, like a claw would.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish (around the 13th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'agarrar' the same as 'coger'?
They often mean the same thing ('to grab/take'), but 'agarrar' is safer to use across all Spanish-speaking regions. In many Latin American countries, 'coger' is vulgar slang, so 'agarrar' is the universal choice for picking something up.
How do I say 'hold on' for safety using this verb?
You must use the reflexive form: '¡Agárrate!' (Hold on!). This tells the person to grab onto something for their own stability.