# Llevar vs traer: away vs toward the speaker

> id: contrast.llevar-traer · category: contrast · depth: standard · levels: A2 · review: internally_reviewed

**Summary.** Traer = bring here, toward where the speaker is (traeme el cargador); llevar = take there, away (te llevo al aeropuerto, llevá vino a la fiesta).

This pair is the carrying version of ir/venir, and again the anchor is the speaker's location — more strictly than English 'bring/take'. Traer is to bring something toward where the speaker is: traeme el cargador ('bring me the charger'). Llevar is to take something away, to another place: te llevo al aeropuerto, llevá vino a la fiesta.

Because the reference point is fixed to the speaker, the choice can flip depending on where you are. Phoning home from work, you'd say ¿me traés las llaves? if someone should bring them to you, but ¿me llevás las llaves? if they'll carry them somewhere else for you.

Llevar has a few extra lives: llevar + time (llevo dos años acá, 'I've been here two years'), llevarse bien/mal con ('to get along / not get along with'), and llevar puesto / traer puesto ('to be wearing').

## Examples
- ¿Llevamos algo a la cena? — Traigan postre. — Should we take something to the dinner? — Bring dessert.
- Te llevo al centro, me queda de paso. — I'll take you downtown; it's on my way.
- Llevá los documentos a la oficina y traeme una copia. — Take the documents to the office and bring me back a copy.

Related: contrast.ir-venir

License: CC BY-SA 4.0 — Spanish Rules Library — spanishruleslibrary.com