Understanding Portuguese: the differences between LEVAR, TRAZER and PEGAR

If you're learning Portuguese, you've probably encountered confusion between the verbs levar, trazer and pegar. Although they seem to have similar meanings, context and direction of action are crucial to using them correctly.

Let's break them down!

"Ela leva, traz ou pega a fruta?" Understand!

1. LEVAR

The verb levar implies movement away from the speaker or the reference point. Think of it as "going with something."

Concept: Moving something or someone from point A (near me) to point B (far away).

Example: "Vou levar a minha irmã para a escola amanhã cedo". (I leave my place and move to another, taking her with me.)

2. TRAZER

The verb trazer implies movement toward the speaker or the place of reference. Think of it as "coming with something."

Concept: Moving something or someone from point B (far from me) to point A (close to me).

Example: "Quando você vier, pode trazer o livro que te emprestei?" (You move from your place to mine, and the book comes with you.)

3. PEGAR

The verb pegar has a broader meaning and can mean "to catch," "to collect," or "to go get" something. The focus is on the action of obtaining or grabbing the object.

Concept: The action of seeking, collecting, or moving toward something to obtain it.

Example: "Vou pegar as chaves na mesa antes de sair". (The action of picking up, collecting the object.)

These small distinctions make a big difference in fluency!

And to better understand the nuances and see more practical examples, check out the video I prepared on this topic! Click here and stop getting confused by these verbs once and for all! See you there and happy studying :)