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apanhar

[ɐ.pɐ.ˈɲaɾ]
verb
to catch, to pick up, to take, to grab
1. to seize or grab something with the hand
He caught the ball before it hit the ground.
Ele apanhou a bola antes de bater no chão.
2. to pick up or collect something from a surface
She picked up the scattered papers from the floor.
Ela apanhou os papéis espalhados do chão.
3. to catch someone (often in the context of an offense or wrongdoing)
The police caught the thief red-handed.
A polícia apanhou o ladrão em flagrante.
4. to beat or hit (colloquial)
He got beaten up in the fight.
Ele apanhou na briga.
5. to contract or catch an illness
I caught a cold last week.
Eu apanhei um resfriado na semana passada.
NYC Slang
catch, grab, snag
Synonyms
pegaragarrarcolherrecolhercapturar
Antonyms
soltarlibertarlargar

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
apanhar
primary usage across all contexts
Portugal
apanhar
commonly used; 'levar uma surra' preferred for beating context
São Paulo
pegar
often substituted for 'apanhar' in casual speech
Minas Gerais
apanhar
standard usage with strong rural dialect presence

Related Idioms & Phrases

apanhar fogo
apanhar uma bronca
apanhar no tranco
apanhar desprevenido
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