Inklingo

How to Say "to collect" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to collect” is “juntar” — use 'juntar' when the focus is on physically bringing things together, often over a period of time, to form a group or a whole..

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juntar

/hoon-TAR//xunˈtaɾ/

verbA1general
Use 'juntar' when the focus is on physically bringing things together, often over a period of time, to form a group or a whole.
Two wooden puzzle pieces being pushed together to fit perfectly.

Examples

Tienes que juntar las dos piezas para arreglarlo.

You have to join the two pieces to fix it.

Por favor, junta tus juguetes antes de dormir.

Please, put your toys together before going to sleep.

Juntamos todas las sillas en el centro de la sala.

We gathered all the chairs in the center of the room.

Using 'juntar' with objects

Use this word when you are physically moving objects into the same place or making them touch.

Juntar vs. Unir

Mistake: “Using 'unir' for picking up toys.”

Correction: Use 'juntar' for gathering items; 'unir' often implies a permanent bond or a deeper connection, like 'unir fuerzas' (joining forces).

reunir

rreh-oo-NEER/re.uˈniɾ/

verbB1general
Use 'reunir' when you are gathering people or a collection of items, often for a specific purpose or event.
A happy child kneeling down, gathering several brightly colored wooden blocks and putting them into a single open basket.

Examples

El director reunió a todos los empleados en la sala de conferencias.

The director gathered all the employees in the conference room.

Necesito reunir más información antes de tomar una decisión.

I need to collect more information before making a decision.

The Accent Mark Irregularity

In the present tense, you must place an accent mark over the 'u' (reúno, reúnes, etc.). This breaks the 'u' and 'i' apart, making two distinct syllables instead of one blended sound.

Missing the Accent

Mistake: “Yo reuno”

Correction: Yo reúno. If you omit the accent, it changes the stress and sounds unnatural.

Juntar vs. Reunir: People or Things?

Learners often confuse 'juntar' and 'reunir' when talking about collections. Remember that 'juntar' is more about physically bringing items together to form a single unit, while 'reunir' is typically used for gathering people or a more formal collection of items.

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