Inklingo

quite

kee-teh/ˈkite/

quite means (that) I remove in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

(that) I remove, (that) you remove

Also: let him/her take away
VerbB1regular ar
A close-up view of a hand picking up a bright red block from a blue table surface, illustrating the action of taking something away.
infinitivequitar
gerundquitando
past Participlequitado

📝 In Action

Espero que yo quite la mancha antes de que mi madre la vea.

B1

I hope I remove the stain before my mother sees it.

Dile a Juan que quite los zapatos de la entrada.

A2

Tell Juan to remove his shoes from the entrance.

No creo que la empresa quite ese producto del mercado.

B2

I don't believe the company will remove that product from the market.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sacar (to take out)
  • remover (to remove)

Common Collocations

  • que quite la mesathat he/she clear the table
  • que me quite la vidathat it takes my life (figurative)

removal

Also: hindrance
NounmC1neutral/formal
A clear wooden peg hovering slightly above the empty round hole it was removed from on a simple wooden board, representing the act of removal.

📝 In Action

Lo logró sin quite, a pesar de las dificultades.

C1

He achieved it without hindrance/easily, despite the difficulties.

El quite de las barreras permitió el paso libre.

B2

The removal of the barriers allowed free passage.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • extracción (extraction)
  • obstáculo (obstacle)

Antonyms

  • adición (addition)

Idioms & Expressions

  • sin quitewithout any difficulty, effortlessly

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedquita
yoquito
quitas
ellos/ellas/ustedesquitan
nosotrosquitamos
vosotrosquitáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedquitaba
yoquitaba
quitabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesquitaban
nosotrosquitábamos
vosotrosquitabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedquitó
yoquité
quitaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesquitaron
nosotrosquitamos
vosotrosquitasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedquite
yoquite
quites
ellos/ellas/ustedesquiten
nosotrosquitemos
vosotrosquitéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedquitara
yoquitara
quitaras
ellos/ellas/ustedesquitaran
nosotrosquitáramos
vosotrosquitarais

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "quite" in Spanish:

hindrancei clearedi removedremoval

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: quite

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'quite' to express a doubt?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

The word 'quite' comes directly from the verb 'quitar,' which itself evolved from the Latin verb *quietāre*, meaning 'to quiet,' 'to set at rest,' or 'to discharge.' Over time, the meaning shifted in Spanish to 'to remove' or 'to take away.'

First recorded: Medieval Spanish

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: quitarItalian: quietare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'quite' the same as 'quitar'?

No, 'quitar' is the base verb meaning 'to remove.' 'Quite' is a specific conjugated form of that verb, used when you are talking about wishes, doubts, or indirect commands (the subjunctive mood), or when giving a formal command.

How can I tell if 'quite' is the verb or the noun?

If it follows 'que' (e.g., 'Espero que quite...') or is used as a command, it's the verb. If it follows the word 'sin' (e.g., 'sin quite'), it is the noun meaning 'hindrance' or 'removal'.