cogiste
/ko-HEES-teh/
you took
A person picking up an object, illustrating the action of taking something.
cogiste(verb)
you took
?picking up an object
,you caught
?catching a bus, train, or a ball
you grabbed
?picking something up quickly
,you picked up
?collecting someone or something
📝 In Action
¿Cogiste las llaves de la mesa?
A1Did you take the keys from the table?
Sé que cogiste el autobús de las ocho.
A2I know you caught the eight o'clock bus.
No me digas que cogiste un resfriado.
B1Don't tell me you caught a cold.
💡 Grammar Points
Completed Past Actions
This word is the 'tú' form for actions that started and finished in the past. Use it when talking to a friend about something they picked up or caught.
The G and J Spelling Rule
While 'cogiste' uses a 'g', other forms like 'yo cojo' use a 'j' to keep the breathy 'h' sound. If the next letter is 'e' or 'i', use 'g'. If it's 'a' or 'o', use 'j'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Adding a 's' at the end
Mistake: "cogistes"
Correction: cogiste
⭐ Usage Tips
Safe Travel Tip
In Spain, use this word freely for 'taking' a bus or 'grabbing' a coffee. In Latin America, people prefer 'tomaste' or 'agarraste' to avoid accidental slang.
A glowing lightbulb represents the moment of understanding an idea or joke.
cogiste(verb)
you got it
?understanding a joke or idea
you understood
?catching the meaning of something
📝 In Action
¿Cogiste el chiste?
B1Did you get the joke?
Por fin cogiste la idea principal.
B2You finally got the main idea.
⭐ Usage Tips
Metaphorical Catching
Just like in English we 'catch' someone's drift, in Spanish you can 'catch' (coger) an idea or a joke.
Two birds close together with hearts to represent intimacy.
📝 In Action
Me dijeron que te la cogiste.
C2They told me you slept with her (vulgar).
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cogiste
Question 1 of 2
If you are in Mexico City and want to tell someone 'You took my pen,' which word is safest to use instead of 'cogiste'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'cogiste' a bad word?
It depends on where you are. In Spain, it's a normal word for 'you took.' In Mexico and Argentina, it's very vulgar slang for having sex.
Why does the 'g' sometimes change to a 'j'?
Spanish spelling rules change the 'g' to a 'j' before 'a' or 'o' to keep the sound consistent. So while it's 'cogiste' with a 'g', it's 'yo cojo' with a 'j'.