quitarle
“quitarle” means “to take (something) away from him/her/it” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to take (something) away from him/her/it, to remove (something) from you (formal)
Also: to steal from him/her
📝 In Action
Necesito quitarle las llaves antes de que se vaya.
A2I need to take his keys away before he leaves.
¡Quitarle ese juguete, por favor! Es peligroso.
A2Take that toy away from her, please! It's dangerous.
El camarero vino a quitarle el plato vacío.
B1The waiter came to take the empty plate away from him.
to relieve him/her of (pain/worry), to take away (a feeling) from him/her
Also: to alleviate for him/her
📝 In Action
La aspirina le va a quitarle el dolor de cabeza.
B1The aspirin is going to take away his headache.
Su presencia logró quitarle el miedo a la oscuridad.
B2His presence managed to take away her fear of the dark.
Es difícil quitarle la costumbre de hablar en voz alta.
C1It is difficult to break him of the habit of speaking loudly.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: quitarle
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'quitarle' to mean 'to take away the pain'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Late Latin word *quietare*, meaning 'to calm' or 'to settle,' but its meaning shifted in Spanish to 'to remove' or 'to take away,' perhaps implying the removal of something that causes disturbance.
First recorded: 11th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use 'quitarle' in a command?
When giving a command, you attach 'le' directly to the affirmative command form. For example, '¡Quítale el teléfono!' (Take the phone away from him!). For negative commands, 'le' goes before the verb: '¡No le quites el teléfono!'
If I am removing something from a woman, should I use 'quitarla' instead of 'quitarle'?
No. 'La' or 'lo' refers to the *thing* being removed (the direct object, like a jacket). 'Le' refers to the *person* who is losing the item (the indirect object, the woman). You should say: 'Voy a quitarle la chaqueta' (I am going to remove the jacket from her).