tomar
/toh-MAHR/
to have
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Tomar is commonly used to mean 'to have' or 'to drink' a beverage, such as coffee or wine.
tomar(Verb)
to have
?for food or drink
,to drink
?especially for coffee, wine, etc.
to eat
?usually for a light meal or snack
📝 In Action
¿Quieres tomar un café conmigo?
A1Do you want to have a coffee with me?
Vamos a tomar unas tapas por el centro.
A2Let's go have some tapas downtown.
No tomo alcohol, gracias. Prefiero agua.
A1I don't drink alcohol, thanks. I prefer water.
⭐ Usage Tips
'Tomar' vs. 'Beber'
'Tomar' is more social and common for having a drink with someone, like coffee or wine ('vamos a tomar algo'). 'Beber' is more a direct word for the physical act of drinking any liquid ('necesito beber agua').
Tomar is a core verb meaning 'to take,' 'to grab,' or 'to pick up' a physical object.
tomar(Verb)
to take
?to grab, to get, to pick up
to hold
?e.g., someone's hand
,to catch
?e.g., a ball (less common)
📝 In Action
Toma mi mano si tienes miedo.
A1Take my hand if you're scared.
Por favor, toma un folleto de la mesa.
A2Please, take a brochure from the table.
Tomó las llaves y salió de la casa.
A2He took the keys and left the house.
❌ Common Pitfalls
'Tomar' vs. 'Llevar'
Mistake: "Voy a tomarte al aeropuerto."
Correction: Voy a llevarte al aeropuerto. Use 'llevar' when you mean 'to take' someone or something *to* a place. Use 'tomar' for grabbing or getting something.
When discussing travel, tomar means 'to take' or 'to catch' a form of public transportation, like a bus or train.
📝 In Action
Tengo que tomar el autobús para ir al trabajo.
A2I have to take the bus to go to work.
¿Qué metro tomamos para llegar al museo?
A2Which subway do we take to get to the museum?
Si tomamos un taxi, llegaremos más rápido.
B1If we take a taxi, we'll arrive faster.
Tomar is also used for abstract actions like 'to take medicine,' 'to take a class,' or 'to make a decision' (tomar una decisión).
tomar(Verb)
to take
?e.g., a decision, a class, medicine
,to make
?for decisions
to take on
?e.g., a responsibility
📝 In Action
Tienes que tomar tu medicina todos los días.
A2You have to take your medicine every day.
Voy a tomar una clase de español el próximo semestre.
B1I'm going to take a Spanish class next semester.
Es difícil, pero tenemos que tomar una decisión pronto.
B1It's difficult, but we have to make a decision soon.
El gobierno tomó medidas para controlar la inflación.
B2The government took measures to control inflation.
⭐ Usage Tips
'Making' a Decision
In English, we 'make' a decision, but in Spanish, you 'take' a decision. Remember the phrase 'tomar una decisión' as a set unit.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: tomar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses 'tomar' to talk about transportation?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'tomar' and 'beber'?
'Tomar' is more general and social. You 'tomas un café' with a friend. 'Beber' is the direct action of drinking any liquid, like when you're thirsty and 'bebes agua'. You can often use them interchangeably for drinks, but 'tomar' is more common in social settings.
Why do some people say 'coger' instead of 'tomar'?
It's a regional difference. In Spain, 'coger' is very common for 'to take' or 'to grab' (e.g., 'coger el autobús'). In most of Latin America, 'coger' is a strong slang word for sex, so people exclusively use 'tomar' to avoid embarrassment. When in doubt, 'tomar' is always the safe choice!
How is 'tomar' different from 'llevar'?
Think of it this way: 'Tomar' is about getting something for yourself ('Tomo las llaves'). 'Llevar' is about taking something or someone *to* another place ('Llevo a mi hijo a la escuela'). You 'take' the keys, but you 'carry' your son to school.