Multiple Ways to Use “Llevar”

If you want to start sounding like a native speaker, the verb llevar is going to be one of your most common verbs. It’s very versatile and has different uses. You might have learned that this verb means “to carry” or “to wear”, and that’s definitely true! Here, we’ll show you some other ways you might hear llevar so you can take your skills to the next level.

Conjugating the verb llevar

Fortunately, llevar is a regular verb in all forms. This means that in the different tenses, there isn’t a special rule or exception that we have to learn about llevar. However, there is one tricky component that we should be aware of, and it’s the “ll” at the beginning of the word. Remember, that sound isn’t like the “L” sound in English. Instead, it makes a “Y” sound like the word “yes”.

Various definitions of llevar

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As we previously mentioned, this verb most often translates to “to carry” or “to wear”, which makes sense since clothes are something that we carry on our bodies. However, there are many more meanings that this verb can have based on context:

1. To take (transport)– When you’re offering to take someone somewhere, you’re offering to carry them in your vehicle to their destination. Te llevo en mi coche.
2. Have been– You can use this verb to express a duration of how long you’ve been somewhere or have been doing something. Llevo una semana sin ver mi novio.

Phrases with this common verb

Sometimes, we use llevar as part of a phrase. Other meanings of this verb might not seem as connected, which is why we’ll show them to you here:

1. Llevar cuenta- to keep score. If you’re keeping score or keeping track of something, you could say Yo llevo cuenta del resultado.
2. Lleva bien- to take something well. This is regarding the emotional ability to accept something. For example, if you want to say that someone takes it well when they lose, you could say lleva bien cuando pierde.

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In addition to these common ways of hearing and using this verb, you might notice many different expressions. This is by no means an exhaustive list! Keep your ears perked, and you might hear it in a few new ways, too.