Inklingo

How to Say "i get" in Spanish

English → Spanish

llego

yé-go/ˈʎe.ɣo/

verbA1general
Use 'llego' when 'I get' means 'I arrive' at a specific place or destination.
A smiling traveler steps off a small boat onto a sandy beach, signifying the completion of a physical journey.

Examples

Siempre llego tarde a la reunión.

I always arrive late to the meeting.

¿A qué hora llego a tu casa?

What time do I get to your house?

Llego al final del camino y descanso.

I reach the end of the road and rest.

A Regular Verb

'Llegar' is a regular '-ar' verb, meaning it follows the most common conjugation pattern. 'Llego' is how you say 'I arrive' right now.

Spelling Change in Preterite

Even though it's regular, when talking about the past, the 'yo' form changes spelling to 'llegué' (I arrived) to keep the hard 'g' sound. This is a common pattern for '-gar' verbs.

Using 'a' vs. 'en'

Mistake: “Llego en la casa.”

Correction: Llego a la casa. (Use 'a' when talking about arriving *to* a specific destination.)

recibo

reh-SEE-boh/reˈsiβo/

verbA1general
Use 'recibo' when 'I get' means 'I receive' something, like information, a gift, or mail.
Two open hands reaching forward, cupped and ready to accept a bright red apple being placed into them.

Examples

Yo recibo un mensaje de texto cada mañana.

I receive a text message every morning.

Recibo mucha ayuda de mis compañeros.

I get a lot of help from my colleagues.

Si lo ordeno hoy, ¿cuándo lo recibo?

If I order it today, when will I receive it?

Recognizing the Verb

The verb form 'recibo' only means 'I receive' or 'I am receiving.' It is the base 'yo' form for the present tense, similar to how 'I speak' comes from 'to speak'.

saco

SAH-koh/ˈsa.ko/

verbA1general
Use 'saco' when 'I get' means 'I take out' or 'I withdraw' something from a place, like an object from a bag or money from an ATM.
A simple cartoon character's hand reaching into a small, open wooden box and lifting a single bright blue marble out.

Examples

Saco mi cartera del bolsillo.

I take my wallet out of my pocket.

Saco muy buenas fotos con esta cámara.

I get very good photos with this camera.

Si saco tiempo, te ayudo con la mudanza.

If I find time, I will help you with the move.

Spelling Change Rule (Car to Qué)

The verb 'sacar' needs a small spelling change in the past tense ('yo' form) and in the special forms (like 'saque') to keep the hard 'k' sound. We change the 'c' to 'qu' so it sounds right: 'yo saqué' (I took out).

Forgetting the 'U'

Mistake: “Yo sacé el libro.”

Correction: Yo saqué el libro. (Always use 'qu' when the 'c' would be followed by 'e' or 'i' to keep the hard sound.)

Arrival vs. Receiving

Learners often confuse 'llego' (arrive) with 'recibo' (receive). Remember that 'llego' is about reaching a physical location, while 'recibo' is about obtaining something, often abstract like information or a physical item passed to you.

Related Translations

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