quítatelo
/kitatelo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "take away it" is translated into Spanish as quítatelo.
This phrase is used to remove something from a person or a place.
What does it mean word for word?
The word quítatelo is composed of the imperative verb quita (remove), the reflexive pronoun te (from yourself) and the object pronoun lo (it).
Which one should you use?
The informal variations quítalo, llévatelo and sácatelo can also be used to mean "take it away".
How do you pronounce it?
/kitatelo/
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers often use the word quitar to mean 'to subtract' in mathematical contexts, making quítatelo a linguistic cousin to subtraction.
- The phrase quítatelo can be used colloquially to tell someone to 'get over' a certain attitude or a 'chip on their shoulder', treating a mental state as a physical object to be removed.
- In a restaurant, if you want the waiter to 'take away' your plate, using quítatelo would be incorrect and confusing because it is a reflexive command telling the waiter to remove something from his own person.
Examples in context
- ¿Podrías retirarlo de mi escritorio, por favor?Could you take it away from my desk, please?
- Por favor, llévelo/sáquelo de aquí.Please, take it away from here.
- ¡Oye!, quítalo de ahí.Hey! Take it away from there.
- Si te duele, quítatelo de encima.If it hurts you, take it off/away from yourself.
- No lo guardes, quítatelo de la vista.Don't keep it, take it out of sight.
Example conversation
Daniel is wearing a hat inside the house.
- MaríaDaniel, quítatelo por favor.Daniel, take it off please.
- DanielLo siento, se me olvidó.I'm sorry, I forgot.
- MaríaNo es correcto usarlo aquí.It is not correct to wear it here.
- DanielEstá bien, ya me lo quito.All right, I'm taking it off now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
