How to Say "they removed" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “they removed” is “sacaron” — use 'sacaron' for a general act of taking something out or removing it from a place, like clearing out a room or taking items from storage..
sacaron
sah-KAH-rohn/saˈkaɾon/
Examples
Ellos sacaron las sillas viejas del garaje.
They took the old chairs out of the garage.
¿Qué sacaron de esa caja tan grande?
What did you all take out of that big box?
Preterite Tense
'Sacaron' tells you that the action (taking out) was completed at a specific moment in the past. It's a finished action.
The '-car' Rule
Even though 'sacaron' looks regular, remember that the 'yo' form of 'sacar' in the preterite changes spelling to 'saqué' (c → qu) to keep the hard 'k' sound.
Using Imperfect Instead of Preterite
Mistake: “Ellos sacaban el perro.”
Correction: Ellos sacaron el perro. ('Sacaron' indicates a single, completed event; 'sacaban' suggests a repeated or ongoing action in the past.)
quitaron
/kee-TAH-rohn//kiˈtaɾon/
Examples
Ellos quitaron los platos de la mesa después de cenar.
They took the dishes off the table after dinner.
Ustedes me quitaron un gran peso de encima.
You all took a great weight off my shoulders.
Le quitaron el teléfono en el metro.
They took (robbed) his phone on the subway.
Who did it?
The ending '-aron' tells you that a group of people ('they' or 'you all') performed the action in the past.
Completed Action
This specific form is used for things that happened once and are completely finished, like removing a sign yesterday.
Taking off clothes
Mistake: “Using 'quitaron el abrigo' to mean they took off their own coats.”
Correction: Say 'se quitaron el abrigo'. Without the 'se,' it sounds like they took the coat off someone else!
General vs. Specific Removal
Related Translations
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