Inklingo

How to Say "you caught" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cogiste

/ko-HEES-teh//koˈxiste/

verbA2general
Use 'cogiste' when referring to the physical act of catching or grabbing something, such as a ball, an object, or a mode of transportation.
A hand picking up a bright red apple from a wooden table.

Examples

¿Cogiste el autobús a tiempo?

Did you catch the bus on time?

¿Cogiste las llaves de la mesa?

Did you take the keys from the table?

Sé que cogiste el autobús de las ocho.

I know you caught the eight o'clock bus.

No me digas que cogiste un resfriado.

Don't tell me you caught a cold.

Completed Past Actions

This word is the 'tú' form for actions that started and finished in the past. Use it when talking to a friend about something they picked up or caught.

The G and J Spelling Rule

While 'cogiste' uses a 'g', other forms like 'yo cojo' use a 'j' to keep the breathy 'h' sound. If the next letter is 'e' or 'i', use 'g'. If it's 'a' or 'o', use 'j'.

Adding a 's' at the end

Mistake: “cogistes”

Correction: cogiste

tomaste

toh-MAHS-teh/toˈmaste/

verbA2general
Use 'tomaste' when you mean 'you took' a specific route or line, especially with public transportation like a bus, train, or subway.
A figure stepping onto the stairs of a large, yellow passenger bus, illustrating the act of taking transportation.

Examples

Si tomaste el tren, llegaste tarde.

If you took the train, you arrived late.

Si tomaste el metro, llegarás más rápido.

If you took the subway, you will arrive faster.

¿Por qué tomaste la carretera vieja?

Why did you take the old highway?

Catch vs. Take a Route

The most common mistake is using 'cogiste' when you mean 'you took' a specific route, like the subway. Remember, 'coger' is more about the physical act of grabbing or catching something, while 'tomar' is used for selecting a particular path or mode of transport.

Related Translations

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