Te paso a buscar
/te paso a buskaɾ/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'I will pick you up' is expressed as Te paso a buscar.
A phrase used to tell someone that you will go to their location to collect them in a vehicle.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Te paso a buscar literally translates to 'I'll pass by to look for you', where pasar means to pass by or drop by.
Which one should you use?
While the default form Te paso a buscar uses the present tense to express a future intention, using the future tense Te pasaré a buscar is also grammatically correct.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the phrase Te paso a buscar may be used instead of Te recojo.
How do you pronounce it?
/te paso a buskaɾ/
Did you know?
- The word buscar may have origins in Celtic languages rather than Latin. It might be related to the Old Irish word búaid and the Welsh word budd, both meaning 'gain'.
- In Spanish, the concept of 'picking someone up' can be expressed using the verb recoger, but in some countries, using this exclusively for people can sound like you are collecting a package or a pet.
- While Te paso a buscar is used for people, Spanish uses different verbs for 'picking up' objects. To pick up a fallen pen or a piece of litter, you would use recoger or levantar instead.
Examples in context
- Te recojo a las 7:00 pm en la entrada principalI will pick you up at 7:00 pm at the main entrance.
- Te paso a buscar a las ocho.I will pick you up at eight.
- No te preocupes, te paso a buscar en mi coche.Don't worry, I will pick you up in my car.
- Si quieres, te paso a buscar por tu casa.If you want, I will pick you up at your house.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are making plans for a night out.
- Mateo¿Quieres que vayamos juntos al cine?Do you want to go to the cinema together?
- LucíaSí, me encantaría.Yes, I would love to.
- MateoEstá bien, te paso a buscar mañana.Okay, I will pick you up tomorrow.
- LucíaPerfecto, gracias Mateo.Perfect, thanks Mateo.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, buscar, paso, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
