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llevar vs traer

Take and bring, decided by where the speaker is standing — the same logic English uses, applied more strictly.

llevar

Away from the speaker

  • Llevo el coche al taller.
  • Te llevo a casa.
  • Llevar la comida a la fiesta
  • Para llevar
  • Llevo gafas.

traer

Towards the speaker

  • ¿Me traes un vaso?
  • Trae la cuenta, por favor.
  • Traer el postre
  • Traigo buenas noticias.
  • ¿Qué traes ahí?

Quick answer

llevar = to take something away from here.
traer = to bring something towards here.

Side by side

Llevo el pastel a tu casa.I am taking the cake to your place.
Trae el pastel a mi casa.Bring the cake to my place.

Memory trick

Stand where you are speaking from. Movement away is llevar; movement towards you is traer.

Typical mistakes

¿Me llevas un café?

¿Me traes un café?

You want it to come to you.

Traigo a los niños al colegio.

Llevo a los niños al colegio.

The school is away from where you are.

Check yourself

Camarero, ¿me ___ la carta?

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