pegar

Senses

1. 1.

   to take; to grab; to seize

   to grasp or hold something with the hand

2. 2.

   to catch; to get; to contract

   to catch an illness, disease, or contagious condition

3. 3.

   to catch; to get; to apprehend

   to capture or apprehend a person (often criminal)

4. 4.

   to take a ride; to hitch

   to board or ride in a vehicle

Examples

• "Pega a minha mochila para mim, por favor."

  Take my backpack for me, please.

• "Ele pegou uma gripe terrível no mês passado."

  He caught a terrible flu last month.

• "A polícia pegou o ladrão na rua."

  The police caught the thief on the street.

Usage

Extremely common and versatile verb in Brazilian Portuguese. Can be reflexive (pegar-se) or pronominal with many shades of meaning. Colloquially, "pegar em" means to grab/touch, and "pegar em alguém" can mean to flirt with someone.