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How to Say "brought" in Spanish

English → Spanish

trajo

/TRAH-ho//ˈtɾaxo/

VerbA1General
Use 'trajo' for the simple past tense when someone (he, she, it, or you formal) performed the action of bringing something.
A smiling woman standing next to a wooden table. On the table is a brightly colored birthday cake that she has just set down, illustrating the completed action of bringing an item.

Examples

Ella trajo la pizza a la fiesta.

She brought the pizza to the party.

El presidente trajo un mensaje de paz.

The president brought a message of peace.

La tormenta trajo muchos problemas a la ciudad.

The storm caused many problems for the city.

A Past Tense (Preterite) Form

This form tells you that the action of 'bringing' was completed at one specific time in the past. It's the equivalent of the simple past in English: 'he/she brought'.

Irregularity in the Past

Notice the 'j' sound! Most verbs that are regular in the past (like 'habló') don't have this change. Traer uses 'trajo' instead of the expected 'traó'.

Forgetting the 'J'

Mistake: “Él traió el café.”

Correction: Él trajo el café. (Always remember the 'j' in the past tense forms of *traer*.)

traído

Past ParticipleA1General
Use 'traído' when forming perfect tenses with the auxiliary verb 'haber', or as an adjective describing something that has been brought.

Examples

¿Qué has traído de la tienda?

What have you brought from the store?

llevado

/yeh-VAH-doh//ʎeˈβa.ðo/

Verb FormA1General
Use 'llevado' when the meaning is 'taken' to a location, implying movement away from the speaker or current place.
A small, red suitcase being carried by a person walking down a path.

Examples

Ella ya se ha llevado todos los libros.

She has already taken all the books.

El coche fue llevado al taller esta mañana.

The car was taken to the workshop this morning.

Making Finished Actions

This form (llevado/a) combines with the verb haber ('to have') to describe actions that have already finished: 'Hemos llevado' (We have carried).

Changing the Ending

When used with ser or estar (to describe a state, like in the passive voice), the ending must match the gender and number of the person or thing being described: 'La carta fue llevada' (The letter was taken).

Not Changing the Ending with 'Estar'

Mistake: “La gente está llevado por la emoción.”

Correction: La gente está llevad**a** por la emoción. (The word must match 'la gente' which is feminine singular here.)

Trajo vs. Llevado

The most common mistake is confusing 'trajo' (brought) with 'llevado' (taken). Remember that 'traer' implies bringing something *towards* the speaker or a reference point, while 'llevar' implies taking something *away* from it.

Related Translations

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