echar
“echar” means “to throw” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
to throw, to toss
Also: to cast
📝 In Action
Ella echó la pelota al perro en el parque.
A1She threw the ball to the dog in the park.
Por favor, echa la basura en el contenedor azul.
A2Please, throw the trash in the blue container.
to pour, to add, to put in
Also: to spread
📝 In Action
Voy a echarle un poco de sal a la sopa.
A2I'm going to add a little salt to the soup.
¿Puedes echar más gasolina al coche, por favor?
B1Can you put more gas in the car, please?
Echa el agua caliente en la tetera.
A2Pour the hot water into the kettle.
to fire, to expel
Also: to kick out
📝 In Action
Lo echaron del trabajo por llegar tarde todos los días.
B1They fired him from the job for arriving late every day.
Si sigues haciendo ruido, te van a echar de la biblioteca.
B2If you keep making noise, they are going to kick you out of the library.
to lie down, to start (doing something)
Also: to flop down
📝 In Action
Después de correr, me eché en el sofá por media hora.
B1After running, I lay down on the sofa for half an hour.
Al escuchar el chiste, todos se echaron a reír.
B2Upon hearing the joke, everyone burst out laughing (started laughing).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: echar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'echar' to mean 'to pour/add'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin verb *iactāre*, meaning 'to throw, cast, or fling,' which is also the root for the English word 'eject.' Over time, the sound softened and the meaning expanded dramatically.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is 'echar' different from 'tirar'?
'Echar' usually means to place, put, or throw something towards a goal (like adding salt or throwing a ball to someone). 'Tirar' often implies a more general action of pulling, or throwing something away, or dropping something with less care. They are often interchangeable when talking about trash.
What is the most useful idiomatic phrase using 'echar'?
The structure 'echar de menos' (literally 'to throw of less') is essential; it means 'to miss' someone or something. For example, 'Echo de menos a mi familia' (I miss my family).