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pillar

verb

  1. 1. to get, grab

    colloquial, Spain · taking or obtaining something

    Common combinations

    • pillar entradas — to get tickets
    • pillar algo de comer — to get something to eat
    • Pillé las llaves y salí.I grabbed the keys and left.
    • Vamos a pillar un taxi.Let's get a taxi.
    • Pillamos sitio cerca de la puerta.We got a place near the door.

  2. 2. to catch, catch someone in the act

    colloquial, Spain · discovering someone doing something

    Common combinations

    • pillar copiando — to catch cheating
    • pillar mintiendo — to catch lying
    • La profesora lo pilló copiando.The teacher caught him cheating.
    • Lo pillaron cuando salía.They caught him as he was leaving.
    • La policía pilló al ladrón con las manos en la masa.The police caught the thief red-handed.

  3. 3. to catch, take by surprise

    colloquial, Spain · reaching or affecting someone unexpectedly

    Common combinations

    • pillar desprevenido — to catch someone unprepared
    • pillar en medio de algo — to catch someone in the middle of something
    • La lluvia nos pilló en la calle.The rain caught us in the street.
    • La noche nos pilló lejos de casa.Night caught us far from home.
    • La noticia me pilló por sorpresa.The news took me by surprise.

  4. 4. to get, understand

    colloquial, Spain · understanding something

    Common combinations

    • pillar una broma — to get a joke
    • pillar el sentido — to get the meaning
    • No pillo el chiste.I don't get the joke.
    • ¿Pillas lo que digo?Do you get what I'm saying?
    • Pillé la idea enseguida.I got the idea straight away.

  5. 5. to catch

    colloquial, Spain · getting an illness

    Common combinations

    • pillar un resfriado — to catch a cold
    • pillar la gripe — to catch the flu
    • pillar un virus — to catch a virus
    • Pillé un resfriado en el viaje.I caught a cold on the trip.
    • Mi hijo pilló la gripe.My son caught the flu.
    • No quiero pillar un virus.I don't want to catch a virus.

  6. 6. to be located, be situated

    colloquial, Spain · describing where a place is in relation to someone

    Common combinations

    • pillar cerca — to be nearby
    • pillar lejos — to be far away
    • pillar de camino — to be on the way
    • La tienda me pilla lejos.The shop is far from me.
    • El trabajo me pilla a diez minutos.Work is ten minutes away from me.
    • ¿Te pilla de camino la farmacia?Is the pharmacy on your way?

  7. 7. to hit, catch

    colloquial, Spain · striking someone or trapping a body part

    Common combinations

    • pillar en la cara — to hit someone in the face
    • pillar los dedos — to catch someone's fingers
    • El balón le pilló en la cabeza.The ball hit him on the head.
    • La puerta me pilló los dedos.The door caught my fingers.
    • El coche pilló al peatón en el cruce.The car hit the pedestrian at the crossing.

Same root

pillarse

Phrases with this word

pillar a alguien con las manos en la masapillar por sorpresapillar el tranquillo