quitarme
“quitarme” means “to take off (clothing, accessories)” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to take off (clothing, accessories)
Also: to remove (myself)
📝 In Action
Necesito quitarme los zapatos después de correr.
A1I need to take off my shoes after running.
Voy a quitarme esta chaqueta, hace mucho calor aquí.
A2I'm going to take off this jacket, it's very hot here.
¿Puedes ayudarme a quitarme este anillo? Está atascado.
B1Can you help me take off this ring? It's stuck.
to get out of the way
Also: to remove oneself
📝 In Action
Tuve que quitarme rápido para que el coche pasara.
B1I had to get out of the way quickly so the car could pass.
No quiero quitarme de este proyecto; es demasiado importante.
B2I don't want to remove myself from this project; it's too important.
Lo mejor es quitarme de en medio cuando mis padres discuten.
C1The best thing is to get out of the middle (out of the way) when my parents argue.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: quitarme
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'quitarme' in its meaning of 'to take off clothing'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb 'quitar' comes from the Latin verb *quietare*, which originally meant 'to quiet' or 'to settle down.' Over time, its meaning shifted in Spanish to imply 'taking something away' or 'removing it' to achieve quiet or separation.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'me' attached to the end of 'quitar'?
'Me' is attached to the end of the verb only when the verb is in its base form (infinitive), like 'quitarme,' or when it is a gerund ('quitándome') or an affirmative command ('¡Quítame!'). This is a Spanish rule to keep the verb and its attached pronoun together in these specific forms.
What is the difference between 'quitar' and 'quitarse'?
'Quitar' means 'to remove' or 'to take away' something from *someone else* or *a place* (e.g., 'Quito el libro' - I remove the book). 'Quitarse' (using 'me,' 'te,' 'se,' etc.) means 'to remove something from *yourself*' (e.g., 'Me quito el libro' - I take the book away from myself).