recolectar
“recolectar” means “to harvest” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to harvest
Also: to gather
📝 In Action
Es el momento de recolectar las uvas para el vino.
A2It is time to harvest the grapes for the wine.
Los niños recolectan conchas en la orilla del mar.
B1The children gather shells on the seashore.
Si recolectamos el trigo ahora, la calidad será excelente.
B2If we harvest the wheat now, the quality will be excellent.
to collect
Also: to gather
📝 In Action
La organización recolectó fondos para las víctimas del terremoto.
B1The organization collected funds for the earthquake victims.
Estamos recolectando firmas para salvar el parque.
B1We are collecting signatures to save the park.
El software recolecta información sobre el tráfico.
B2The software gathers information about traffic.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: recolectar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses 'recolectar' for a harvest?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'recollectare', which combines 're-' (again) and 'collectare' (to gather). It literally means to bring things back together into one place.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'recoger' and 'recolectar'?
Think of 'recoger' as the general word for 'to pick up' (like picking up a toy). 'Recolectar' is more formal or systematic, used for harvesting or collecting data/money.
Is 'recolectar' a regular verb?
Yes! It follows the exact same pattern as 'hablar' or 'caminar' in all tenses.
Can I use 'recolectar' to mean 'to remember' like in English 'recollect'?
No. In Spanish, 'to remember' is 'recordar' or 'acordarse'. 'Recolectar' is only for physical or data gathering.