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tomé

toh-MÉH/toˈme/

I took, I grabbed

Also: I received
VerbA1regular ar
A person's hand reaching down and firmly grasping a single bright red apple resting on a wooden surface, illustrating physical grabbing.
infinitivetomar
gerundtomando
past Participletomado

📝 In Action

Tomé mi billetera antes de salir de casa.

A1

I took my wallet before leaving the house.

Tomé las llaves que estaban sobre la mesa.

A1

I grabbed the keys that were on the table.

I drank, I had

Also: I consumed
VerbA1regular ar
A person holding a clear glass filled with water and tilting it up to drink, illustrating consuming a beverage.
infinitivetomar
gerundtomando
past Participletomado

📝 In Action

Tomé un café y luego salí a trabajar.

A1

I drank a coffee and then left for work.

Tomé mucha agua después de correr la maratón.

A2

I drank a lot of water after running the marathon.

En México, tomé un poco de tequila.

B1

In Mexico, I had a little tequila.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • bebí (I drank)
  • ingerí (I ingested/consumed)

Common Collocations

  • tomé un refresco – I had a soda

I took, I caught

Also: I took, I measured
VerbA2regular ar
Mexico and Central America
A person sitting comfortably on a seat inside a public bus or train, looking out the window, illustrating using transportation.
infinitivetomar
gerundtomando
past Participletomado

📝 In Action

Para ir al centro, tomé el autobús número 12.

A2

To go downtown, I took bus number 12.

Tomé varias fotos del atardecer en la playa.

B1

I took several photos of the sunset on the beach.

Finalmente, tomé la decisión de renunciar al trabajo.

B2

Finally, I made the decision to quit the job.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedtoma
yotomo
tútomas
ellos/ellas/ustedestoman
nosotrostomamos
vosotrostomáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedtomaba
yotomaba
tútomabas
ellos/ellas/ustedestomaban
nosotrostomábamos
vosotrostomabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedtomó
yotomé
tútomaste
ellos/ellas/ustedestomaron
nosotrostomamos
vosotrostomasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedtome
yotome
tútomes
ellos/ellas/ustedestomen
nosotrostomemos
vosotrostoméis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedtomara
yotomara
tútomaras
ellos/ellas/ustedestomaran
nosotrostomáramos
vosotrostomarais
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "tomé" in Spanish:

i drank→i grabbed→i measured→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: tomé

Question 1 of 2

Which English translation is NOT appropriate for the sentence: 'Tomé un taxi y tomé un vaso de jugo.'

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
tomar(to take (infinitive)) — Verb
la toma(the taking/the shot (photo)) — Noun
tomado(taken) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the vulgar Latin word *tomare*, which itself is thought to come from the Greek *tome* (a cutting or section). It originally related to harvesting or picking, and later expanded to mean 'to grab' or 'to take.'

First recorded: Around the 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: tomar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'tomé' have an accent mark?

The accent mark is essential because it shows you are using the past tense (preterite) and not the present tense. It also helps distinguish 'tomé' (I took) from 'tome' (the subjunctive form used for commands or wishes).

Is 'tomé' interchangeable with 'bebí' (I drank)?

Yes, often. You can say 'Tomé agua' or 'Bebí agua.' However, 'tomé' is much broader and covers taking objects, transportation, and photos, while 'bebí' only means to drink.