Inklingo

How to Say "they take" in Spanish

English → Spanish

toman

TOH-mahn/ˈtoman/

verbA1general
Use 'toman' when 'they' are physically grabbing or taking an object as part of a sequence of actions.
Two figures, a man and a woman, are lifting a small brown box together.

Examples

Ellos toman la caja y la ponen en el estante.

They take the box and put it on the shelf.

Ustedes toman sus sombreros antes de salir.

You all take your hats before leaving (formal command).

Los niños toman sus juguetes después de jugar.

The children pick up their toys after playing.

Identifying the 'Who'

"Toman" is the action form used for "ellos" (they, masculine/mixed group), "ellas" (they, feminine), or "ustedes" (you all, formal).

Indicative vs. Subjunctive

The form "toman" is used for facts ('They take the bus'). The form "tomen" (present subjunctive) is used for wishes, doubts, or commands ('I hope they take the bus').

llevan

/yeh-VAHN//ʝeˈβan/

verbA1general
Use 'llevan' when 'they' are transporting or carrying something from one place to another.
Two figures, a boy and a girl, carrying a large, heavy basket filled with colorful apples between them.

Examples

Ellos llevan las maletas pesadas al coche.

They carry the heavy suitcases to the car.

Ustedes siempre llevan sus propios vasos.

You all always carry your own cups.

Los mensajeros llevan paquetes por toda la ciudad.

The messengers carry packages all over the city.

A Regular AR Verb

'Llevar' is a totally regular verb, meaning its endings follow the standard pattern for verbs that end in -ar. Once you know one 'ar' verb, you know them all!

sacan

/SAH-kahn//ˈsakan/

verbA2general
Use 'sacan' when 'they' are getting or achieving something, like good grades or a photograph.
Two happy students holding up a paper with a large gold star on it.

Examples

Mis alumnos siempre sacan buenas notas.

My students always get good grades.

Ellos sacan muchas fotos durante el viaje.

They take a lot of photos during the trip.

Obtaining Results

In Spanish, you don't 'have' or 'make' a grade; you 'take it out' (sacar) of the exam process.

Don't confuse taking objects with getting results

Learners often confuse 'toman' (physically taking an object) with 'sacan' when discussing achieving results. Remember, 'sacan' is used for obtaining things like grades or photos, not for physically moving items.

Related Translations

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