Inklingo

How to Say "to add" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to add” is “agregar” — use 'agregar' when physically putting things together or increasing a quantity, like adding ingredients or items.

agregar🔊A1

Use 'agregar' when physically putting things together or increasing a quantity, like adding ingredients or items.

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añadirA1

Use 'añadir' for combining items or adding something extra, especially when incorporating ingredients or making a statement.

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echar🔊A2

Use 'echar' casually for adding ingredients or spices, often implying a quick or informal action.

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echarle🔊A2

Use 'echarle' specifically when adding an ingredient to something already in a container, like adding to coffee or soup.

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incorporar🔊B1

Use 'incorporar' when the act of adding involves mixing or blending ingredients or items into a larger whole.

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sumar🔊A1

Use 'sumar' strictly for mathematical addition or when calculating totals.

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aportar🔊B2

Use 'aportar' when adding value, a quality, or making a contribution, especially in a professional or abstract sense.

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English → Spanish

agregar

ah-greh-GAHRa.ɣɾeˈɣaɾ

verbA1general
Use 'agregar' when physically putting things together or increasing a quantity, like adding ingredients or items.
A hand placing a single red apple into a wooden bowl already containing three green apples.

Examples

Tienes que agregar un poco de sal a la sopa.

You have to add a little salt to the soup.

Me puedes agregar al grupo de WhatsApp?

Can you add me to the WhatsApp group?

Agregamos dos sillas más a la mesa.

We added two more chairs to the table.

"No tengo hambre", agregó ella en voz baja.

"I'm not hungry," she added in a quiet voice.

The 'I added' spelling change

When talking about the past ('I added'), the 'g' becomes 'gu' (agregué) so it keeps the same hard 'g' sound as in the original word.

Adding information

When you want to say 'He added that...', use 'Agregó que...' followed by the information.

Adding people on Social Media

Mistake: “Using 'añadir' for friends.”

Correction: While 'añadir' works, 'agregar' is much more common when talking about adding friends on Facebook or Instagram.

añadir

verbA1general
Use 'añadir' for combining items or adding something extra, especially when incorporating ingredients or making a statement.

Examples

Por favor, añade un poco de azúcar al café.

Please, add a little sugar to the coffee.

echar

eh-CHAReˈt͡ʃaɾ

verbA2informal
Use 'echar' casually for adding ingredients or spices, often implying a quick or informal action.
A hand pours bright blue liquid from a clear glass pitcher into a ceramic mug.

Examples

Voy a echarle un poco de sal a la sopa.

I'm going to add a little salt to the soup.

¿Puedes echar más gasolina al coche, por favor?

Can you put more gas in the car, please?

Echa el agua caliente en la tetera.

Pour the hot water into the kettle.

Use with Indirect Objects (Le/Les)

When you add something to something else (like salt to soup), you often use the indirect object pronoun 'le' or 'les': 'Le echo sal' (I add salt to it).

echarle

eh-CHAR-leheˈtʃaɾle

verbA2informal
Use 'echarle' specifically when adding an ingredient to something already in a container, like adding to coffee or soup.
A close-up view of a cartoon hand sprinkling a pinch of bright red spice from its fingertips into a large blue mixing bowl.

Examples

¿Puedes echarle más azúcar al café, por favor?

Can you add more sugar to the coffee, please?

No le eches tanta sal a la sopa, ya tiene suficiente.

Don't put so much salt in the soup; it already has enough.

Hay que echarle gasolina al coche antes de salir.

We have to put gas in the car before leaving.

The attached 'le'

When you see 'echarle', the 'le' means 'to it' or 'to him/her'. It's an indirect object pronoun showing what receives the addition (e.g., the coffee, the soup).

incorporar

een-kor-por-ahrinkorpoˈɾaɾ

verbB1general
Use 'incorporar' when the act of adding involves mixing or blending ingredients or items into a larger whole.
A chef adding a single red strawberry to a bowl of green grapes.

Examples

Debes incorporar los ingredientes secos a la mezcla.

You should add the dry ingredients to the mixture.

El equipo decidió incorporar nuevas tecnologías este año.

The team decided to incorporate new technologies this year.

Me voy a incorporar a la empresa el próximo lunes.

I am going to join the company next Monday.

Using 'a' for joining

When you are joining a group, office, or team, use the word 'a' after the verb. For example: 'Se incorporó a la reunión' (He joined the meeting).

Professional Tone

While 'añadir' is great for cooking, 'incorporar' is the go-to word in business and formal writing to sound more professional.

Joining a company

Mistake: “Me incorporé la empresa.”

Correction: Me incorporé a la empresa. (You need the 'a' to show what you are joining.)

sumar

soo-MAHRsuˈmaɾ

verbA1general
Use 'sumar' strictly for mathematical addition or when calculating totals.
A wooden table with two red apples on one side and three green apples on the other, being pushed together into a single pile.

Examples

Los niños están aprendiendo a sumar en la escuela.

The children are learning to add in school.

Si sumas dos y dos, el resultado es cuatro.

If you add two and two, the result is four.

Los gastos del mes suman quinientos euros.

The month's expenses add up to five hundred euros.

Using 'y' vs. 'más'

When doing math out loud, you can use 'y' (and) or 'más' (plus). For example: 'Dos y dos son cuatro' or 'Dos más dos son cuatro'.

Agreement with Totals

When the result of a sum is the subject, the verb 'sumar' matches the total. If the total is one, use 'suma'; if it is more than one, use 'suman'.

Adding ingredients

Mistake: “Voy a sumar sal a la sopa.”

Correction: Voy a añadir sal a la sopa. Use 'añadir' or 'agregar' for physical things like food; use 'sumar' for numbers and abstract values.

aportar

ah-por-TARapoɾˈtaɾ

verbB2general
Use 'aportar' when adding value, a quality, or making a contribution, especially in a professional or abstract sense.
A person placing a bright, glowing lightbulb onto a table where others are gathered, representing bringing a new idea.

Examples

Ella aporta mucha experiencia al equipo.

She brings a lot of experience to the team.

Tus ideas aportan un valor increíble a este proyecto.

Your ideas add incredible value to this project.

Espero que mi comentario aporte algo positivo.

I hope my comment contributes something positive.

Abstract Contributions

In professional contexts, 'aportar' is used for qualities you 'bring' to a team, like knowledge or energy.

agregar

ah-greh-GAHRa.ɣɾeˈɣaɾ

verbB1general
Use 'agregar' when adding a further comment or statement to a conversation or text.
A hand placing a single red apple into a wooden bowl already containing three green apples.

Examples

"No tengo hambre", agregó ella en voz baja.

"I'm not hungry," she added in a quiet voice.

Tienes que agregar un poco de sal a la sopa.

You have to add a little salt to the soup.

Me puedes agregar al grupo de WhatsApp?

Can you add me to the WhatsApp group?

Agregamos dos sillas más a la mesa.

We added two more chairs to the table.

The 'I added' spelling change

When talking about the past ('I added'), the 'g' becomes 'gu' (agregué) so it keeps the same hard 'g' sound as in the original word.

Adding information

When you want to say 'He added that...', use 'Agregó que...' followed by the information.

Adding people on Social Media

Mistake: “Using 'añadir' for friends.”

Correction: While 'añadir' works, 'agregar' is much more common when talking about adding friends on Facebook or Instagram.

añadir

verbB1general
Use 'añadir' when including an additional comment or statement, similar to adding a thought to a discussion.

Examples

El presidente añadió que la reunión fue muy productiva.

The president added that the meeting was very productive.

Adding Ingredients vs. Adding Comments

The most common confusion is between 'agregar'/'añadir' for physical additions and their use for spoken or written comments. While both can be used for comments, 'agregar' and 'añadir' are also the primary verbs for physically adding ingredients or items, whereas 'echar' is more informal for ingredients. 'Sumar' is exclusively for math.

Related Translations

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