5.6 Confusable Verb Pairs

5.6 Confusable Verb Pairs

The Part A directions promise items on "vocabulary and structure." Vocabulary items at this level rarely test rare words; they test whether you can choose between two common verbs that translate into the same English word. Learn these ten pairs and you will recognize most of them on sight.

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1. Saber versus Conocer — "to know"

• Saber + infinitive = to know how to: Sabe tocar el piano. No word for how is added.
• Conocer takes the personal a with people: Conozco a tu hermana.
• In the preterite both shift meaning: supe = I found out; conocí = I met for the first time.

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2. Pedir versus Preguntar — "to ask"

Note that pedir followed by que + subjunctive is a request, not a question: Te pido que esperes.

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3. Llevar versus Traer — "to take / to bring"

The axis is the speaker's location.

• llevar = carry away from the speaker: Llevé los documentos a la oficina.
• traer = carry toward the speaker: Trae el libro cuando vengas.

The same axis splits ir (go away from here) and venir (come toward here). Spanish is stricter than English here: answering a call of ¡Ven! with ¡Ya voy! is correct, because the speaker is moving toward the other person's location, not their own.

Llevar has two further high-frequency senses: to wear (Lleva gafas) and to have spent time (Llevo dos años aquí).

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4. Tocar versus Jugar — "to play"

• tocar = to play an instrument, or to touch: Toca la guitarra.
• jugar = to play a game or sport: Juega al fútbol. (many varieties require jugar a + article)
• tocar also means "to be someone's turn": Te toca a ti.

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5. Dejar versus Salir — "to leave"

Salir never takes a direct object. "I left the keys" is Dejé las llaves, never Salí las llaves.

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6. Ser versus Estar — "to be"

Treated fully in Chapter 6, but note the vocabulary-level consequence: several adjectives change meaning with each (aburrido, listo, rico, verde, malo, seguro). In a Part A vocabulary item, the auxiliary tells you which meaning the sentence intends.

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7. Haber versus Tener — "to have"

• tener = to possess: Tengo dos hermanos.
• haber = auxiliary for compound tenses (he comido) and impersonal existence: hay (there is/are), había, habrá.
• Impersonal haber is always singular: Hay muchos problemas, Había veinte personas — never habían veinte personas in careful usage.
• Obligation: tener que + infinitive (personal, strong) versus hay que + infinitive (impersonal): Tengo que estudiar / Hay que estudiar.

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8. Quedar versus Quedarse

• quedar = to remain (quantity), to fit, to arrange to meet: Quedan tres días. / Te queda bien. / Quedamos a las ocho.
• quedarse = to stay (in a place), to end up: Se quedó en casa. / Se quedó dormido.

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9. Volver versus Devolver

• volver = to return, come back (intransitive): Vuelvo a las cinco.
• devolver = to give something back (transitive): Devolvió el libro a la biblioteca.
• volver a + infinitive = to do again: Volvió a llamar.

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10. Poner versus Ponerse, and Meter

• poner = to put, place: Puso el libro en la mesa.
• ponerse = to put on clothing; to become: Se puso el abrigo. / Se puso nervioso.
• meter = to put inside: Metió la ropa en la maleta.

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11. Quick Reference

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12. Worked Items

Item 1. El camarero se acercó a la mesa y los clientes le ________ la cuenta. (A) preguntaron (B) pidieron (C) supieron (D) dijeron

Reasoning: Requesting a thing is pedir; preguntar would require a question. (B).

Item 2. Cuando vengas esta tarde, ________ los documentos que te presté. (A) lleva (B) trae (C) saca (D) deja

Reasoning: Motion toward the speaker (cuando vengas) requires traer. (B).

Item 3. En la sala de espera ________ más de treinta personas cuando llegamos. (A) habían (B) había (C) tenían (D) eran

Reasoning: Impersonal haber is invariable and singular regardless of the following quantity. (B).