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pillar

pee-YAR/piˈʎaɾ/

to catch

Also: to grab, to reach
VerbA2regular ar
Spain
A child catching a colorful ball in mid-air with their hands.
gerundpillando
past Participlepillado
infinitivepillar

📝 In Action

¡Corre, que no me pillas!

A1

Run, you can't catch me!

Tengo que pillar el autobús de las ocho.

A2

I have to catch the eight o'clock bus.

Pilla las llaves antes de salir.

B1

Grab the keys before leaving.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • pillar por sorpresa – to catch by surprise
  • pillar un resfriado – to catch a cold

to catch someone out

Also: to bust
VerbB1regular arinformal
A hand holding a cookie while someone else points at them, showing they were caught.
gerundpillando
past Participlepillado
infinitivepillar

📝 In Action

Me pillaron copiando en el examen.

B1

I got caught cheating on the exam.

Te pillé, sé que te comiste el último trozo de tarta.

B1

Caught you! I know you ate the last piece of cake.

Le pillaron en una mentira.

B2

They caught him in a lie.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • pillar in fraganti – to catch red-handed

to be located

Also: to be on the way
VerbB2regular arinformal
Spain
A small house sitting on top of a green hill far away from a hiker.
gerundpillando
past Participlepillado
infinitivepillar

📝 In Action

La farmacia me pilla muy lejos de casa.

B1

The pharmacy is located very far from my house.

Si te pilla de paso, ¿puedes comprar pan?

B2

If it's on your way, can you buy some bread?

Ese bar nos pilla cerca del trabajo.

B1

That bar is close to our work.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • pillar de camino – to be on the way
  • pillar a trasmano – to be out of the way / inconveniently located

to get it

Also: to catch on
VerbB1regular arslang
A person with a bright lightbulb appearing over their head as they smile.
gerundpillando
past Participlepillado
infinitivepillar

📝 In Action

Perdona, no he pillado el chiste.

B1

Sorry, I didn't get the joke.

¿Pillas lo que te quiero decir?

A2

Do you get what I'm trying to say?

Es difícil de pillar a la primera.

B2

It's hard to get the first time around.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Idioms & Expressions

  • no pillar ni jota – To not understand a single word/thing

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedespillaran
yopillara
túpillaras
vosotrospillarais
nosotrospilláramos
él/ella/ustedpillara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedespillen
yopille
túpilles
vosotrospilléis
nosotrospillemos
él/ella/ustedpille

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedespillaron
yopillé
túpillaste
vosotrospillasteis
nosotrospillamos
él/ella/ustedpilló

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedespillaban
yopillaba
túpillabas
vosotrospillabais
nosotrospillábamos
él/ella/ustedpillaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedespillan
yopillo
túpillas
vosotrospilláis
nosotrospillamos
él/ella/ustedpilla
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "pillar" in Spanish:

to bust→to catch→to grab→to reach→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pillar

Question 1 of 3

How would you say 'I didn't get the joke' informally?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pillaje(looting) — Noun
pilluelo(little rascal) — Noun
pillo(rascal/sly person) — Noun
pillada(the act of being caught) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Likely from Vulgar Latin 'piliare', related to the Italian 'pigliare' (to take/seize). It shares roots with words describing pulling or plucking.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: pigliareCatalan: pillar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'pillar' slang?

It depends on the meaning. Using it for 'catching a ball' is neutral, but using it for 'understanding a joke' or 'being located' is informal/colloquial.

Can I use 'pillar' in Latin America?

Yes, but it is much more frequent in Spain. In many Latin American countries, people prefer 'atrapar' or 'agarrar' for catching and 'entender' for understanding.

What is the difference between 'pillar' and 'coger'?

'Coger' is more general for 'to take'. 'Pillar' usually implies catching something that is moving, or catching something in a moment of surprise or luck.