roba

RO-bah/ˈroβa/

“roba” means “steals” in Spanish (He/She/It steals).

steals, robs

Also: take (informal command), captures (figurative)

VerbA2regular ar

Mexico

A cartoon illustration showing a hand quickly snatching a shiny red apple from a wooden fruit stand.

infinitiverobar

gerundrobando

past Participlerobado

📝 In Action

Mi hermana roba mi ropa sin preguntar.

My sister steals my clothes without asking.

Usted roba el tiempo de la reunión con preguntas largas.

You (formal) steal the meeting's time with long questions.

¡Roba la base! ¡Corre!

Steal the base! Run!

Word Connections

Synonyms

hurtar (to pilfer (less serious))
quitar (to take away)

Antonyms

devolver (to return)
dar (to give)

Common Collocations

robar un banco – to rob a bank
robar un beso – to steal a kiss

Idioms & Expressions

robar cámara – to steal the show/to hog the spotlight

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedroba

yorobo

túrobas

ellos/ellas/ustedesroban

nosotrosrobamos

vosotrosrobáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedrobaba

yorobaba

túrobabas

ellos/ellas/ustedesrobaban

nosotrosrobábamos

vosotrosrobabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedrobó

yorobé

túrobaste

ellos/ellas/ustedesrobaron

nosotrosrobamos

vosotrosrobasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedrobe

yorobe

túrobes

ellos/ellas/ustedesroben

nosotrosrobemos

vosotrosrobéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedrobara/robase

yorobara/robase

túrobaras/robases

ellos/ellas/ustedesrobaran/robasen

nosotrosrobáramos/robásemos

vosotrosrobarais/robaseis

View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "roba" in Spanish:

robs→steals→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: roba

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'roba' as a command?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

robar(to steal) — Verb

robo(theft / robbery) — Noun

ladrón(thief) — Noun

🎵 Rhymes▼

cobaloba

📚 Etymology▼

Comes from a Germanic root, likely related to the Gothic word *raubon* (to plunder), showing its ancient connection to taking things by force.

First recorded: Medieval Spanish (around the 13th century)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: roubarFrench: rober

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'roba' and 'robo'?

'Roba' is the verb form (he/she/it steals). 'Robo' is the noun meaning 'theft' or 'robbery,' OR it is the 'yo' form of the verb (I steal).

Can 'roba' be used in a positive way?

Yes, often figuratively. If something 'roba la mirada' (steals the glance), it means it is very attractive or eye-catching. If a child 'roba un beso' (steals a kiss), it's usually considered charming.