coger
/koˈxeɾ/
To pick up in Spanish is coger. Wiktionary also lists pepenar.
Meaning: to lift, to grasp and raise (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| coger | /koˈxeɾ/ |
| pepenar | /pepeˈnaɾ/ |
The verb means to lift, to grasp or to raise something.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In certain Latin American countries, the word coger has a vulgar connotation and should be avoided. To avoid the potential vulgarity of coger in Latin America, use recoger to mean 'to pick up' or 'to collect' (e.g., picking up a package or picking up a child).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, coger is used to mean 'pick up.' In certain Latin American countries, the word coger has a vulgar connotation and should be avoided.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular preterite (past tense) of coger is cogió.
How do you pronounce it?
/koˈxeɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
To avoid the potential vulgarity of coger in Latin America, use recoger to mean 'to pick up' or 'to collect'.
Did you know?
- The word pepenar comes from the Classical Nahuatl word pehpena, which means 'to choose' or 'to select'.
- Because of the vulgar connotation of coger in Mexico and Argentina, people often use tomar to mean 'to take' or 'to pick up' instead.
- In Spain, coger el autobús is the standard way to say 'to take the bus', but in many Latin American countries, this phrasing can sound accidentally sexual.
Examples in context
- ¿Dónde puedo coger mi pasaje de avión?Where can I pick up my airplane ticket?This sentence shows how to use coger when asking where to pick up an airplane ticket.Tatoeba #2256962 by marcelostockle, translation #489402 by CK
- Recoger los documentos en la oficinaPick up the documents at the office.
- Recoger a los niños en el colegioPick up the kids at school.
- Recoger la basuraPick up the trash.
- Retirar el paquete en la oficina de correosPick up the package at the post office.
- Retirar el certificado en el mostradorPick up the certificate at the counter.
- Voy a recoger a mi amigo en su casaI'm going to pick up my friend at his house.
- Recoge tus cosas del sueloPick up your things from the floor.
- Agárrame las llaves del autoPick up the car keys for me.
- Agarra las bolsas en el supermercadoPick up the bags at the supermarket.
- Voy a coger el libro de la estanteríaI'm going to pick up the book from the shelf.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofia are cleaning the living room.
- MateoSofía, ¿puedes coger esos juguetes, por favor?Sofía, can you pick up those toys, please?
- SofíaClaro, yo los cojo ahora mismo.Sure, I'll pick them up right now.
- MateoGracias, así el salón quedará limpio.Thanks, that way the living room will be clean.
- SofíaNo hay problema, Mateo.No problem, Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pick up” translations and entries coger, pepenar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coger, pepenar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
