recuperar
/rekupeˈɾaɾ/
To retrieve in Spanish is recuperar.
The verb recuperar is used when you are regaining possession of lost objects, recovering lost data or information or regaining consciousness.
Meaning: to regain or get back something (verb)
Which one should you use?
While the English word 'retrieve' can sometimes imply the physical act of fetching something, such as a dog fetching a ball, recuperar focuses more on the process of regaining possession or restoring something to its former state.
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form is recuperar.
How do you pronounce it?
/rekupeˈɾaɾ/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking school systems, recuperar is used as a noun or verb for taking a makeup exam. A student recupera a subject they failed to retrieve their passing grade.
- You can use recuperar for people, such as recuperar a un amigo, which means to reconcile or get a friend back after a falling out.
- A linguistic 'doublet' exists in Spanish where recuperar was borrowed from Latin while its sibling recobrar was inherited directly from Spanish, giving you two ways to say 'to regain'.
Examples in context
- Recuperé mi bolígrafo del escritorio.I retrieved my pen from the desk.
- El equipo técnico pudo recuperar los archivos perdidos.The technical team was able to retrieve the lost files.
- Intento recuperar aquellos momentos de mi infancia.I try to retrieve those memories from my childhood.
- Agarra las llaves del automóvil en la mesa.Retrieve the car keys from the table.
- Voy a agarrar mis cosas del cuarto.I'm going to retrieve/grab my things from the room.
- ¿Puedes conseguirme mi chaqueta del clóset?Can you retrieve/get my jacket from the closet?
- recuperar los datosTo retrieve the data
- recuperar el conocimientoTo regain consciousness
- Espero recuperar mi cartera pronto.I hope to recover my wallet soon.
- ¿Puedes recuperar las llaves del coche?Can you retrieve the car keys?
- Él quiere recuperar su tiempo perdido.He wants to regain his lost time.
Example conversation
Mateo lost his wallet and is talking to Maria.
- María¿Dónde dejaste tu billetera, Mateo?Where did you leave your wallet, Mateo?
- MateoNo lo sé, tengo que recuperar mi dinero.I don't know, I have to retrieve my money.
- MaríaVamos a buscarla juntos ahora mismo.Let's go look for it together right now.
- MateoGracias, María, espero encontrarla pronto.Thanks, Maria, I hope to find it soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry recuperar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries recuperar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
