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pegar

[peh-GAR]
verb
to catch, to grab, to take
1. to take hold of something with hands
Grab the ball before it falls.
Pega a bola antes dela cair.
2. to catch or capture
The police caught the thief.
A polícia pegou o ladrão.
3. to contract or get an illness
I caught a cold last week.
Peguei um resfriado na semana passada.
4. to board or get on (transportation)
I'll catch the 7 AM train.
Vou pegar o trem das 7 da manhã.
5. to start or ignite
The fire caught quickly.
O fogo pegou rapidamente.
6. to hit or strike
The ball caught him in the face.
A bola pegou ele no rosto.
NYC Slang
grab, catch, cop, snag
Synonyms
agarrarapanharprendercapturartomar
Antonyms
soltarlargarliberardesistir

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
pegar
most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
pegar
standard usage with colloquial variations
São Paulo
pegar
standard usage, sometimes 'apanhar' in rural areas
Portugal
apanhar/agarrar
pegar exists but less common; 'apanhar' preferred for catching

Related Idioms & Phrases

pegar fogo - to catch fire, to become popular
pegar emprestado - to borrow
pegar na mão - to catch red-handed
pegar uma carona - to hitchhike
pegar no pé - to tease or bug someone
pegar mal - to look bad or create a bad impression
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