traer

/trah-er/

to bring

A child wearing a blue shirt and red shorts is smiling while carrying a small woven basket holding a bright red apple, walking directly toward the viewer.

When someone is carrying an item toward the speaker, we use traer, meaning 'to bring.'

traer(verb)

A1irregular er

to bring

carrying something toward the speaker

to fetch

going to get and return with

Also:

to carry

transporting a person/item

📝 In Action

¿Puedes traer la comida de la cocina?

Can you bring the food from the kitchen?

Siempre traigo mi libro favorito conmigo.

I always carry my favorite book with me.

Mi tío nos trajo un regalo de su viaje.

My uncle brought us a gift from his trip.

Word Connections

Synonyms

llevar (to take (away from the speaker))
acarrear (to haul, to transport)

Common Collocations

traer a colación – to bring up (a topic)
traer consigo – to bring with it

💡 Grammar Points

Irregular 'Yo' Form

The 'yo' form in the present tense is highly irregular: it is 'traigo,' not 'trao'. This is a common pattern for verbs ending in -aer, -eer, -uir.

Difference between Traer and Llevar

Use 'traer' when the movement is TOWARDS the place where you or the listener are (like 'come here with it'). Use 'llevar' when the movement is AWAY from you (like 'take it over there').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Preterite Forms

Mistake: "Yo traí por Yo traje"

Correction: The simple past (preterite) is 'traje' (I brought), which uses the irregular root 'traj-'. Remember this strong 'j' sound.

⭐ Usage Tips

Used for Wearing Clothes

In some regions, especially when talking about accessories or clothes someone is wearing right now, you might hear 'traer' instead of 'llevar' or 'vestir': 'Ella trae un vestido nuevo' (She is wearing a new dress).

A single blue domino tile has just fallen over and is pushing the first tile of a long line of red dominoes, illustrating a chain reaction or causation.

Traer can also mean 'to cause,' referring to something that starts a chain reaction or creates a situation.

traer(verb)

B1irregular er

to cause

to be the origin of a situation or problem

to result in

to lead to a consequence

Also:

to involve

to necessitate a certain thing

📝 In Action

La crisis económica trae consigo muchas preocupaciones.

The economic crisis brings with it many worries.

Tu actitud trajo problemas a todo el equipo.

Your attitude caused problems for the whole team.

¿Qué nos trae el futuro?

What does the future hold for us? (Literally: What does the future bring us?)

Word Connections

Synonyms

causar (to cause)
ocasionar (to bring about)

Idioms & Expressions

traer mala suerte – to bring bad luck

💡 Grammar Points

Abstract Use

When 'traer' is used figuratively, it acts just like the physical meaning, but the 'object' is usually an idea or event (e.g., problems, happiness, confusion).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: traer

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses the highly irregular 'yo' form of 'traer' in the present tense?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

atracción(attraction) - noun

distraer(to distract) - verb

extraer(to extract) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'traer' irregular in every tense?

No. The main irregularities are the 'yo' form in the present tense ('traigo') and the strong stem 'traj-' used in the simple past (preterite) and related forms like the subjunctive. The imperfect, future, and conditional tenses are regular.

How do I remember the difference between 'traer' and 'llevar'?

Think of 'traer' (to bring) as related to the English 'come' (movement toward the speaker). Think of 'llevar' (to take) as related to the English 'go' (movement away from the speaker). 'Traer' implies proximity or destination.