Agarrarte: Grab Some New Spanish Knowledge

The verb coger (to take / to grab) is commonly used in Spain, but, in Latin America, the same verb often has sexual connotations. To avoid confusion and any possible misunderstanding, Latin Americans tend to use the verb agarrar, not coger, when they wish to express "to take" or "to grab" (likewise elegir, not escoger, for "to choose" and levantar, not recoger, for "to pickup").

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

 

Agarrate el vinito que está en la cocina.

Grab the wine that's in the kitchen.

Caption 45, Disputas - La Extraña Dama

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Had her new actor friend told Gloria Cógete el vinito que está en la cocina, she would have understood it properly, "Grab the wine that's in the kitchen," but it would have sounded a bit odd to her, as she is South American, not a Spaniard. Note that her host appends the reflexive te to his command agarra, "grab." Had he not done so and said Agarrá el vino... instead of Agarrate el vino, the meaning would have been the same, "Grab the wine...," but it may have come across as rude and bossy as opposed to inviting and playful. He also softens his tone by using the diminutive vinito (little wine) instead of simply vino.

 

No, en serio te lo digo, Gloria, porque te agarra un psicópata...

No, seriously, I tell you, Gloria, because [if] you're stuck with a psychopath...

Caption 11, Disputas - La Extraña Dama

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Literally, porque te agarra un psicópata... is "because a psychopath grabs you..." but this is not exactly what Majo is expressing. What Majo is saying is more like "because [if] you're stuck with a psychopath" as in "if you had the bad luck of getting a psycho as a client...."

 

Si te agarra un profesor listo, vas a aprender la lección.
If you get a clever professor, you are going to learn the lesson.

 

Que esa mano si te agarra te puede dejar preñao

Because if that hand grabs you, it can get you pregnant

Captions 39-40, Trabuco Contrapunto - Mano Muerta Feat. Budú

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Me agarré un resfrío.
I caught a cold.

 

Entonces, agarré el gusanito del rock and roll desde los ocho años, te digo.

So, I've got the rock and roll bug since I was eight, I tell you.

Caption 27, Arturo Vega - Entrevista

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Si Juan se entera que le fuiste infiel, ¡agarrate!
If Juan finds out you cheated on him, watch out!
(colloquial)

 

Cuando lo agarre, lo mato.
When I put my hands on him, I'll kill him.
(It is uncertain, hence the use of the subjunctive [yo] agarre.)

 

Si te agarra sueño, acostate temprano.
If you get sleepy, go to bed early.

 

Vocabulary

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