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How to Say "to climb" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to climb” is “subir” — use 'subir' when referring to ascending stairs, hills, or other inclines, or for metaphorical increases in rank or price..

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subir

soo-BEER/suˈβiɾ/

verbA1general
Use 'subir' when referring to ascending stairs, hills, or other inclines, or for metaphorical increases in rank or price.
A small stylized character hiking up a steep, winding mountain path towards the summit.

Examples

Necesito subir las escaleras para llegar a mi apartamento.

I need to go up the stairs to get to my apartment.

Si el ascensor está roto, tendremos que subir a pie.

If the elevator is broken, we will have to walk up.

¿Puedes subir al coche? Vamos tarde.

Can you get in the car? We are late.

El gobierno decidió subir los impuestos este año.

The government decided to raise the taxes this year.

Movement Inward

When talking about getting into a vehicle (like a car or bus), Spanish uses 'subir al/en' where English uses 'get in' or 'board'.

Confusing 'subir' and 'levantar'

Mistake: “Using 'levantar' when meaning to move yourself up an incline.”

Correction: Use 'subir' for moving yourself up (climbing stairs). Use 'levantar' only for lifting a heavy object.

subir

soo-BEER/suˈβiɾ/

verbB1general
Use 'subir' to indicate an increase in rank, position, or level, such as raising taxes or getting promoted.
A small stylized character hiking up a steep, winding mountain path towards the summit.

Examples

El gobierno decidió subir los impuestos este año.

The government decided to raise the taxes this year.

Necesito subir las escaleras para llegar a mi apartamento.

I need to go up the stairs to get to my apartment.

Si el ascensor está roto, tendremos que subir a pie.

If the elevator is broken, we will have to walk up.

¿Puedes subir al coche? Vamos tarde.

Can you get in the car? We are late.

Movement Inward

When talking about getting into a vehicle (like a car or bus), Spanish uses 'subir al/en' where English uses 'get in' or 'board'.

Confusing 'subir' and 'levantar'

Mistake: “Using 'levantar' when meaning to move yourself up an incline.”

Correction: Use 'subir' for moving yourself up (climbing stairs). Use 'levantar' only for lifting a heavy object.

escalar

/es-kah-LAHR//eskaˈlaɾ/

verbA2general
Use 'escalar' for the physical act of climbing, especially mountains, rocks, or walls, using hands and feet.
A person wearing a harness climbing up a steep, rocky mountain face.

Examples

Me gusta escalar montañas durante el verano.

I like to climb mountains during the summer.

Tuvieron que escalar el muro para entrar.

They had to scale the wall to get in.

Regular -ar Pattern

This verb follows the standard rules for -ar verbs, so once you know the pattern, you can conjugate it easily in any tense.

Escalar vs. Subir

Mistake: “Using 'escalar' for just going upstairs.”

Correction: Use 'subir' for stairs or elevators. 'Escalar' implies effort, steepness, or the use of hands.

Escalar vs. Subir: Physical Climbing

Learners often confuse 'escalar' and 'subir' when talking about physical climbing. Remember that 'escalar' is specifically for the challenging, often vertical, act of climbing mountains or walls, while 'subir' is more general for going up things like stairs or hills.

Related Translations

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