Spanish word

quitar

Pronunciation

IPA/kiˈtaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbtake away

Example

Por favor, quita la mesa.

Please take away the items from the table.

Illustration for quitar (take away)

More examples

No olvides quitar el polvo antes de poner los platos.

Don't forget to dust before putting out the dishes.

Core concept

Removal of an item from a place or from a person's hands.

Common phrases

  • quitar la mesa

    clear away the dishes

  • quitar el polvo

    dust

  • quitar la mancha

    get the stain out

Similar words

sacar: Pulls or lifts something out of a container or enclosed space.
apartar: Moves an item aside or sideways to clear space or separate it.
borrar: Erases written marks, text, or digital data so they disappear.

Definition in Spanish

Hacer desaparecer o sacar algo de un sitio o de las manos de otra persona; también indicar la acción de quitarse una prenda cuando se usa de forma pronominal.

Word origin

The verb goes back to Late Latin quitare 'free, release', and Spanish narrows it to the physical action of removing or taking away.

Usage tips

  • Spanish often marks the person affected with an indirect object pronoun (e.g., 'le quité el libro' = 'I took the book from him/her').

Other meanings

  • take offverb
  • detachverb
  • stealverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word