Llevar: to take, to carry, to wear
Pronunciation: yeh-BAHR (stress the capital letters)
Llevar means “to take, to carry, to wear” in English.
Quick answer
- Meaning: to take, to carry, to wear
- How to say it: yeh-BAHR
- Present: yo llevo, tú llevas
- Level: Elementary (A2)
What “llevar” means and how to use it
Llevar is a multi-purpose verb. It means to carry or take something somewhere, to wear clothes, to give someone a ride, and to have spent a length of time doing something.
Other translations: to bring (away), to wear, to spend (time).
How to conjugate “llevar”
| Who | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | llevo | I |
| tú | llevas | you (informal) |
| él, ella, usted | lleva | he, she, you (formal) |
| nosotros | llevamos | we |
| ellos, ustedes | llevan | they, you all |
| Past (preterite) | yo llevé, él llevó | I / he or she |
| Past participle | llevado | used with haber |
A closer look at “llevar”
Llevar and traer
Llevar moves something away from the speaker: llevo el libro a la escuela (I take the book to school). Traer moves something toward the speaker: trae el libro aquí (bring the book here). In English both are often “bring.”
Llevar for time and clothes
Llevar plus a time and a gerund says how long you have been doing something: llevo dos años estudiando español. Llevar also means to wear: lleva un abrigo (she is wearing a coat).
Examples with audio
- Llevo mi laptop al trabajo.I take my laptop to work.
- Ella lleva un vestido azul.She is wearing a blue dress.
- Llevo dos años aprendiendo español.I have been learning Spanish for two years.
Usage tip
Llevar goes away from the speaker (take), while traer comes toward the speaker (bring). “Llevar + time + gerund” is the natural way to say how long you have been doing something.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “to take, to carry, to wear” in Spanish?
“to take, to carry, to wear” in Spanish is “llevar.” It is pronounced yeh-BAHR, with the stress on the syllable in capital letters.
How do you pronounce “llevar”?
Say yeh-BAHR. The syllable in capital letters gets the stress. Press the speaker button at the top of this page to hear it.
What is the past tense of “llevar”?
In the preterite, “yo” is “llevé” and “él” is “llevó.” The past participle is “llevado.”
Practice “llevar” for free
Reading helps, but practice makes it stick. Try short exercises with instant feedback.
Related words
More: words with several meanings · Spanish glossary · Lessons