recoger
/rekoˈxeɾ/
In Spanish, recoger means to pick up or gather things from a surface or a place.
The primary meaning of recoger is to pick up or gather objects from a specific location or surface. When you use the preposition a with a person, such as in the phrase recoger a alguien, it means to pick someone up, for example from a school or a station. While you can use the phrase recoger información to mean collect information, there are more specific formal terms for other types of gathering: use recolectar for gathering things systematically and recopilar when you are compiling or gathering information.
Which one should you use?
While recoger is used for picking up objects or people, the verb levantar is used specifically for the physical act of lifting something up from a surface.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of recoger is recogido, which is used to form perfect tenses or to function as an adjective meaning picked up or gathered.
How do you pronounce it?
/rekoˈxeɾ/
Did you know?
- When talking about clothing, recoger is the specific verb used to describe pulling hair back or tying it up in a ponytail.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you say you need to recoger la casa, it does not mean picking up the actual building. Instead, it is the standard way to say you are tidying up or cleaning your home.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, recoger is used as a reflexive verb, recogerse, to describe the act of retreating to a private place for rest or solitude.
Examples in context
- El equipo de limpieza recolectó las hojas en el jardínThe cleaning crew collected the leaves in the garden
- Recoger información precisa es fundamental en este proyectoCollecting accurate information is crucial in this project
- María va a recoger a los niños después del colegio.Maria is going to pick up the kids after school.
- ¿Podrías recoger el paquete en la oficina de correos?Could you pick up the package at the post office?
- Juan recoge manzanas del árbol en su huerto.Juan collects apples from the tree in his orchard.
- Recoge tus juguetes del suelo.Pick up your toys from the floor.
- Tengo que recoger mi ropa del suelo.I have to pick up my clothes from the floor.
- ¿Puedes recoger los juguetes del salón?Can you pick up the toys from the living room?
- Ella va a recoger las hojas del jardín.She is going to gather the leaves from the garden.
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are tidying up the living room.
- SofíaMateo, ¿puedes recoger esos papeles del suelo?Mateo, can you pick up those papers from the floor?
- MateoSí, lo hago en un momento.Yes, I'll do it in a moment.
- SofíaGracias, yo voy a recoger los libros.Thanks, I am going to gather the books.
- MateoPerfecto, así terminamos más rápido.Perfect, that way we finish faster.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry recoger, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
