llevar

to carry

verb yeh-BAHR Common

Also means

to wear

Usage Note

Llevar is one of Spanish's most versatile verbs. It means to carry/transport (lleva la bolsa), to wear clothing (lleva una chaqueta roja), and in the auxiliary construction lleva + gerund it expresses duration of an ongoing action: lleva tres años viviendo aquí (she has been living here for three years). This duration construction has no direct English equivalent and trips up many learners.

Examples

"Lleva el paraguas; va a llover."

Natural Translation

Take the umbrella; it's going to rain.

Literal Translation

It-carries the umbrella; it-goes to rain

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