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roba

RO-bahˈroβa

“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.

A2

My sister steals my clothes without asking.

Usted roba el tiempo de la reunión con preguntas largas.

B1

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

¡Roba la base! ¡Corre!

B1

Steal the base! Run!

Word Connections

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

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

Indicative

Present

yorobo
túrobas
él/ella/ustedroba
nosotrosrobamos
vosotrosrobáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesroban

Imperfect

yorobaba
túrobabas
él/ella/ustedrobaba
nosotrosrobábamos
vosotrosrobabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesrobaban

Preterite

yorobé
túrobaste
él/ella/ustedrobó
nosotrosrobamos
vosotrosrobasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesrobaron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yorobe
túrobes
él/ella/ustedrobe
nosotrosrobemos
vosotrosrobéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesroben

Imperfect Subjunctive

yorobara/robase
túrobaras/robases
él/ella/ustedrobara/robase
nosotrosrobáramos/robásemos
vosotrosrobarais/robaseis
ellos/ellas/ustedesrobaran/robasen
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▼
🎵 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.