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Spanish · Romance & Flirting

Coger

koh-HEHR · /ko.ˈxeɾ/

To have sex (Mexico); to grab/catch (Spain)

3/5 Watch your audience

genuinely rude; friends only, never at work

Literally

"To grab / to take (Spain) — to fuck (Mexico)"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

The single most dangerous false friend in Spanish. In Spain "coger" is a completely innocent everyday verb — "coger el autobús" (catch the bus), "coger un taxi." In Mexico it means, bluntly, "to fuck," so a Spaniard cheerfully announcing he's going to "coger a los niños del cole" (pick the kids up from school) causes cardiac events. In Mexico, use "tomar" or "agarrar" for grabbing. Learn this one before you land.

Heard in the wild

(Spain) Voy a coger el metro. // (Mexico) usa 'tomar' — o te ríes solo.

(Spain) I'm going to catch the metro. // In Mexico, say 'tomar' instead.

Where it lands

Spain (innocent); Mexico & much of Latin America (vulgar) — see usage

Quick answers

What does "Coger" mean?
In Spanish, "Coger" means "To have sex (Mexico); to grab/catch (Spain)". Literally it's "To grab / to take (Spain) — to fuck (Mexico)". The single most dangerous false friend in Spanish. In Spain "coger" is a completely innocent everyday verb — "coger el autobús" (catch the bus), "coger un taxi." In Mexico it means, bluntly, "to fuck," so a Spaniard cheerfully announcing he's going to "coger a los niños del cole" (pick the kids up from school) causes cardiac events. In Mexico, use "tomar" or "agarrar" for grabbing. Learn this one before you land.
Is "Coger" offensive?
It's genuinely rude — a 3/5 (Watch your audience) on the Punch-o-Meter. Fine among friends, never at work or with people you've just met.
How do you pronounce "Coger"?
Say it "koh-HEHR" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ko.ˈxeɾ.

Related in Spanish

Ligar lee-GAR To flirt / to hook up / to pull Echar los perros eh-CHAR lohs PEH-rrohs To hit on someone / put the moves on Estar buenote / buenota ess-TAR bweh-NOH-teh To be hot / smoking Fajar fah-HAR To make out / heavy petting Mamacita mah-mah-SEE-tah Hottie / gorgeous (as an address) Poner los cuernos poh-NEHR lohs KWEHR-nohs To cheat on / two-time

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