Inklingo

How to Say "i wear" in Spanish

English → Spanish

llevo

/YEH-voh//ˈʎeβo/

verbA1general
Use 'llevo' when talking about the clothes or accessories you have on your body at this moment or generally.
A character clearly wearing a bright blue scarf and a large red winter hat.

Examples

Hoy llevo una camiseta verde y vaqueros.

Today I'm wearing a green t-shirt and jeans.

No llevo reloj, ¿qué hora es?

I'm not wearing a watch, what time is it?

Llevo el pelo corto desde el verano.

I've had short hair since the summer.

Simple Present for 'Right Now'

In English, you say 'I am wearing'. In Spanish, you can just use the simple present: 'Llevo una chaqueta' works perfectly for what you have on at this moment.

Confusing with 'Ponerse'

Mistake: “Me llevo una chaqueta para salir.”

Correction: Use 'Me pongo una chaqueta' for the action of *putting on* the jacket. 'Llevo una chaqueta' describes the state of *already wearing* it.

uso

/oo-soh//ˈu.so/

verbA1regional
Use 'uso' when referring to wearing something as a regular habit or choice, often implying a preference or a specific function.
A person's hands holding a pair of large, bright red gardening shears, actively cutting a small green leaf off a bush.

Examples

Yo uso la bicicleta para ir al trabajo.

I use the bike to go to work.

Uso anteojos solo para leer.

I wear glasses only for reading.

Uso este ejemplo para clarificar mi punto.

I use this example to clarify my point.

Regular -ar Verb

This verb is very predictable! To use it, simply follow the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -ar, like 'hablar' or 'caminar'.

traigo

TRAH-ee-goh/ˈtɾaj.ɣo/

verbA1regional
Use 'traigo' (specifically 'traigo puesto') in certain regions to indicate that you are wearing an item of clothing, often something like a coat.
A young child, smiling, walking forward and presenting a bright red apple held in their hand.

Examples

Traigo puesto un abrigo porque hace frío.

I'm wearing a coat because it's cold.

Traigo mi almuerzo al trabajo todos los días.

I bring my lunch to work every day.

Perdón, no traigo suficiente cambio.

Sorry, I don't have enough change (with me).

¿Qué te traigo de la farmacia?

What should I bring you from the pharmacy?

The Irregular 'Go' Ending

The 'yo' form of traer is highly irregular, ending in '-go' (traigo) instead of the standard '-o'. This pattern is shared by other important verbs like tener (tengo) and venir (vengo).

Traer vs. Llevar (Direction)

Traer (Traigo) means bringing something to the speaker (or the location where the conversation is happening). Llevar means taking or carrying something away from the speaker.

Missing the 'G'

Mistake: “Using 'yo trao' instead of 'yo traigo'.”

Correction: Always remember the 'g' in the present tense: *traigo, traiga, traigamos*. The 'g' sound is the key irregular feature.

Llevar vs. Usar for 'to wear'

The most common mistake is using 'usar' when you simply mean what you have on right now. 'Llevar' is the default verb for describing current attire. 'Usar' is better for habits or functional choices, like 'I use glasses'.

Related Translations

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