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A2 verb Neutro #1,700 mais comum 4 min de leitura

quitar

kiˈtaɾ
Pratique

Overview

The Spanish verb 'quitar' is a versatile and frequently used verb, primarily meaning 'to remove,' 'to take away,' or 'to take off.' Its usage extends beyond simple physical removal, encompassing a range of situations from detaching objects to relieving pain or even getting rid of habits. Understanding its nuances is key to mastering its application.

Conjugation:

'Quitar' is a regular -ar verb, making its conjugation relatively straightforward. Here's a brief overview of its present tense and preterite (simple past) forms for common subjects:

  • Present Tense:
  • Yo quito (I remove/take away)
  • Tú quitas (You remove/take away)
  • Él/Ella/Usted quita (He/She/You formal removes/takes away)
  • Nosotros/Nosotras quitamos (We remove/take away)
  • Vosotros/Vosotras quitáis (You all informal remove/take away)
  • Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes quitan (They/You all formal remove/take away)
  • Preterite Tense:
  • Yo quité (I removed/took away)
  • Tú quitaste (You removed/took away)
  • Él/Ella/Usted quitó (He/She/You formal removed/took away)
  • Nosotros/Nosotras quitamos (We removed/took away)
  • Vosotros/Vosotras quitasteis (You all informal removed/took away)
  • Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes quitaron (They/You all formal removed/took away)

Common Usages and Examples:

  1. 1Physical Removal/Detachment: This is the most direct and common use.
  • Quitar la mesa. (To clear the table.)
  • Quítate el sombrero. (Take off your hat.)
  • Voy a quitar la mancha de la camisa. (I'm going to remove the stain from the shirt.)
  • El dentista me quitó una muela. (The dentist pulled out a tooth.)
  1. 1Taking Away/Depriving: 'Quitar' can indicate the act of depriving someone of something.
  • Le quitaron el permiso de conducir. (They took away his driver's license.)
  • Me quitaste la oportunidad. (You took away my opportunity.)
  1. 1Relieving Pain/Discomfort: Often used reflexively ('quitarse') or with indirect object pronouns.
  • Esta medicina me quita el dolor de cabeza. (This medicine takes away my headache.)
  • El masaje me quitó la tensión. (The massage relieved my tension.)
  1. 1Removing Habits/Customs: In this context, it means to get rid of or break a habit.
  • Es difícil quitarse la costumbre de fumar. (It's difficult to break the habit of smoking.)
  • Voy a quitarme el mal hábito de procrastinar. (I'm going to get rid of the bad habit of procrastinating.)
  1. 1Taking Off (Clothing/Accessories): Very common when talking about clothing.
  • Quítate los zapatos antes de entrar. (Take off your shoes before entering.)
  • Ella se quitó el abrigo. (She took off her coat.)
  1. 1Subtracting (Mathematics): Less common in everyday conversation, but valid.
  • Si a diez le quitas cinco, te quedan cinco. (If you take five from ten, you're left with five.)

Phrasal Verbs and Idiomatic Expressions:

  • Quitarse de en medio: To get out of the way, to remove oneself from a situation.
  • Quítate de en medio, por favor. (Please get out of the way.)
  • Quitarse de encima: To get rid of, to shake off (e.g., a burden, a person).
  • Necesito quitarme esta responsabilidad de encima. (I need to get rid of this responsibility.)
  • Quitar ojo: To take one's eyes off something/someone (usually in a negative context, meaning to neglect).
  • No le quites ojo al niño. (Don't take your eyes off the child.)
  • Quitar la razón: To prove someone wrong.
  • Tus argumentos me quitaron la razón. (Your arguments proved me wrong.)

Distinction from Similar Verbs:

While 'quitar' often translates to 'to remove,' it's helpful to differentiate it from other verbs like 'sacar' (to take out, to extract) or 'retirar' (to withdraw, to remove formally).

  • Quitar often implies a more general act of removal or detachment, or taking something away from someone/something.
  • Sacar is more about taking something out of a container, a space, or extracting it.
  • Quitar la etiqueta. (Remove the label.) vs. Sacar la ropa del armario. (Take the clothes out of the closet.)
  • Retirar often suggests a more formal or deliberate withdrawal, or removing something from circulation.
  • Retirar fondos. (Withdraw funds.) vs. Quitar el dinero de la mesa. (Take the money off the table.)

In summary, 'quitar' is a fundamental Spanish verb with a broad range of applications centered around the idea of removal, detachment, and taking away. Its flexibility makes it an essential part of daily communication in Spanish.

Exemplos

1

¡Quita tus manos de encima!

An imperative command.

Take your hands off!

2

Hay que quitar la mesa después de comer.

Referring to clearing a table.

We have to clear the table after eating.

3

¿Me puedes quitar la espina?

Referring to removing a foreign object from the body.

Can you remove the splinter for me?

4

Le quitaron el carné de conducir.

Referring to something being confiscated or revoked.

They took away his driver's license.

5

Voy a quitarme los zapatos.

Using the reflexive form to mean 'to take off (clothing/accessories)'.

I'm going to take off my shoes.

Colocações comuns

quitar el polvo
quitar la mesa
quitar una mancha
quitarse la ropa
quitar la vida
quitar un obstáculo
quitar el dolor
quitar importancia
quitar la vista
quitar el sueño

Frequentemente confundido com

quitar vs w
80+ WORDS

Padrões gramaticais

p1 p2 p3

Como usar

Notas de uso

The verb 'quitar' is regular in its -ar conjugation. It's highly versatile and can be used transitively (requiring a direct object) or reflexively ('quitarse'). When used transitively, it directly means 'to remove' or 'to take away,' e.g., 'Ella quitó el libro de la mesa' (She removed the book from the table). When used reflexively as 'quitarse,' it often means 'to take off' (clothing, accessories) or 'to get rid of' something from oneself, e.g., 'Me quité el abrigo' (I took off my coat). It can also express the idea of removing a sensation or feeling, such as 'quitarse el hambre' (to satisfy hunger). The prepositions used with 'quitar' are important for conveying precise meaning; 'de' is common for indicating the source from which something is removed (e.g., 'quitar algo de un lugar'). It's crucial to distinguish it from verbs like 'sacar' (to take out, often from inside something) or 'eliminar' (to eliminate), as 'quitar' generally implies a more direct and often simpler act of removal.

Dicas

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Usage Tips

'Quitar' is a versatile verb. Its primary meaning is 'to remove' or 'to take away.' It's often used when you're physically taking something off or out of something else. For example, 'Quité la ropa de la cama' (I removed the clothes from the bed) or 'Quita la mesa' (Clear the table). It can also mean to 'take off' an item of clothing, like 'Me quito los zapatos' (I take off my shoes).
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Common Mistakes

A common mistake is confusing 'quitar' with 'sacar.' While both can involve removing, 'sacar' usually implies taking something out from an enclosed space, like 'sacar dinero del banco' (to withdraw money from the bank), whereas 'quitar' is more general for any kind of removal or taking off. Another mistake is forgetting the reflexive pronoun 'se' when someone removes something from themselves, like 'Se quitó el sombrero' (He took off his hat).
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Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for 'quitar' include 'remover' (to remove), 'sacar' (to take out), 'apartar' (to separate, to move aside), and 'retirar' (to withdraw, to remove). Antonyms include 'poner' (to put, to place), 'añadir' (to add), and 'dejar' (to leave, to allow to stay). For example, 'Quita la sal de la mesa' (Remove the salt from the table) vs. 'Pon la sal en la mesa' (Put the salt on the table).

Origem da palavra

From Vulgar Latin *quīttāre, from Latin quiētāre 'to quiet, to calm,' from quiētus 'quiet, calm,' past participle of quiēscere 'to rest.' The sense evolved from 'to set at rest, to free' to 'to release from, to take away.'

Contexto cultural

In Spanish-speaking cultures, 'quitar' is a ubiquitous verb reflecting a practical and often direct approach to interaction with objects and situations. It's frequently used in daily life, from asking someone to 'quitar la mesa' (clear the table) after a meal, to 'quitar la ropa' (take off clothes) or 'quitar el polvo' (dust off). The act of removing is often associated with tidiness, completion of tasks, or preparing for something new. There can also be a social nuance, where 'quitar' might be used gently to suggest someone move out of the way or stop doing something, like '¿Me puedes quitar esto de aquí?' (Can you remove this from here?) when something is obstructing. In some contexts, it can even imply taking something away that might be causing discomfort or a problem, such as 'quitarse un peso de encima' (to take a weight off one's shoulders), signifying relief.

Dica de memorização

Think of 'quitar' as 'quit' something from its place.

Perguntas frequentes

4 perguntas
'Quitar' tiene varios significados, pero los principales son 'to remove' (eliminar, retirar) y 'to take away' (llevarse, sustraer). Se usa comúnmente para indicar la acción de separar algo de un lugar o una persona, o de hacer que algo deje de existir en un sitio determinado.
Claro. Por ejemplo, 'Voy a quitar el polvo de los muebles' (I'm going to remove the dust from the furniture). Otro ejemplo: 'Quítate el abrigo, hace calor aquí' (Take off your coat, it's hot in here). También puede ser 'Quitar una mancha' (To remove a stain).
Se usa para expresar la acción de sustraer algo o llevárselo. Por ejemplo, 'Me quitaron el balón en el partido' (They took the ball away from me in the game). O, 'Le quitaron el castigo por buen comportamiento' (They took away his punishment for good behavior). También, 'Le quitaron las ganas de salir' (They took away his desire to go out).
Sí, una muy común es 'quitarse un peso de encima', que significa 'to take a weight off one's shoulders' o 'to get a load off one's mind'. También 'quitar el sueño', que significa 'to keep someone awake' o 'to cause someone to lose sleep' debido a una preocupación.

Teste-se

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Ella siempre se _____ el maquillaje antes de acostarse.

Correto! Quase. Resposta certa:
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¿Puedes _____ la mesa después de cenar?

Correto! Quase. Resposta certa:
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El sastre tuvo que _____ un poco de tela del vestido.

Correto! Quase. Resposta certa:

Pontuação: /3

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