apanhar

Senses

1. 1.

   to catch

   to grab or seize something in motion

2. 2.

   to pick up

   to lift or collect something from a surface

3. 3.

   to get (a disease, ride, etc.)

   to contract or obtain incidentally

4. 4.

   to beat; to take a beating

   to strike repeatedly or suffer a physical assault

Examples

• "Consegui apanhar a bola antes de cair."

  I managed to catch the ball before it fell.

• "Apanhei um táxi na rua para voltar para casa."

  I caught a taxi on the street to go back home.

• "Meu filho apanhou uma gripe e ficou de cama toda a semana."

  My son caught the flu and stayed in bed all week.

Usage

Extremely common in colloquial Brazilian Portuguese. Can also mean "to suffer" or "to take a beating" in street or informal contexts; never use the "beat" sense in formal speech. Often appears in fixed expressions like "apanhar da chuva" (to get caught in the rain).