to take, to catch (vulgar in Mexico and Argentina; common in Cuba and Spain)
hablamos regular endingpienso stem changetengo irregularbusqué spelling change
Presente · What happens now or habitually
Cojo la guagua en la esquina.
I catch the bus on the corner.
Pretérito · A completed action in the past
Cogimos mangos del árbol.
We picked mangoes from the tree.
Imperfecto · Ongoing or habitual past; "used to"
Los niños cogían cangrejos en la playa.
The kids used to catch crabs on the beach.
Futuro · What will happen
Cogerás frío si sales así.
You'll catch a cold if you go out like that.
Condicional · What would happen
Yo cogería el primer vuelo.
I'd take the first flight.
Pretérito perfecto · Has/have done
Mi hermano ha cogido el carro sin permiso.
My brother has taken the car without permission.
Pluscuamperfecto · Had done
Ya habían cogido el último ómnibus.
They had already taken the last bus.
Futuro perfecto · Will have done
Rarely used with this verb.
Condicional perfecto · Would have done
Habríamos cogido un taxi, pero no había ninguno.
We would have taken a taxi, but there weren't any.
Presente de subjuntivo · Wishes, doubts, emotions about the present or future
Quiero que cojas la guagua temprano.
I want you to catch the bus early.
Imperfecto de subjuntivo (-ra) · Hypotheticals and past wishes; the common form
Mi mamá me dijo que cogiera una sombrilla.
My mom told me to take an umbrella.
Imperfecto de subjuntivo (-se) · Same meaning as -ra; more literary
Les dije que cogiesen lo que quisieran.
I told them to take whatever they wanted.
Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo · Subjunctive for something that has happened
Espero que hayan cogido el camino correcto.
I hope they've taken the right road.
Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo · Contrary-to-fact past: "if I had..."
Si hubiera cogido la guagua, habría llegado a tiempo.
If I had caught the bus, I would have arrived on time.
Imperativo afirmativo · Commands: do it!
Coge la sombrilla, va a llover.
Take the umbrella, it's going to rain.
Imperativo negativo · Commands: don't do it!
No cojas lo que no es tuyo.
Don't take what isn't yours.