Using the Spanish Verb Echar

Echar may primarily mean to throw, but the reality is that it has literally dozens of possible translations that vary wildly with the context. Fast Facts Although it is usually defined first in dictionaries as to throw, echar is an extremely flexible verb than can refer to many types of giving something motion, either literally or figuratively.Echar is the verb in a wide array of idiomatic phrases.Echar is conjugated regularly. In its simplest usage, echar means to throw or, more generally, to move (something) from one place to another. See how the way you understand and translate the verb depends on what is being moved and how: Echà ³ el libro a la basura. (She threw the book in the garbage.)Echar una cuchara de aceite de oliva. (Add a spoonful of olive oil. While throw works in the sentence above, it obviously doesnt here.)Angelita echà ³ la carta al correo. (Angelita sent the letter in the mail.)Echà ³ el vino en una copa. (He poured the wine into a glass.)Este dragà ³n es monstruo que echa llamas de fuego por la boca. (This dragon is a monster that breathes fire from its mouth.)Esa mà ¡quina echa chispas. (That machine gives off sparks. You also could use throw here: That machine throws sparks.)Le echaron de la escuela. (They tossed him out of the school. Note that, as in English, this sentence can be understood literally, meaning he was physically removed, or figuratively, meaning that he was expelled.)Zupo les echà ³ la charla a sus jugadores. (Zupo gave the talk to his players.) Idioms Using Echar Because echar can be so broadly understood, it is used in a variety of idioms, many that you probably wouldnt associate with the concept of throwing. For example, echar la culpa, which might literally be understood as to throw blame, typically would be translated simply as to blame. Example: Y luego me echà ³ la culpa de arruinarle el cumpleaà ±os. (And later he blamed me for ruining his birthday.) Here are some other idioms using echar: echar un vistazo a (to glance at)echar de menos a alguien (to miss someone)echar abajo (to pull down)echar la llave (to lock)echar el freno (to put the brakes on)echar a perder (to ruin or demolish)echarse atrà ¡s (to back out)echarse un novio (to get oneself a boyfriend)echar ganas (to put forth much effort)echar a suertes (to make a decision by random means such as tossing a coin or drawing straws)echar el alto (to order someone to stop)echar un ojo (to watch or look at)echar balones fuera (to sidetrack)echar las campanas al vuelo (to shout out the news)echar el cierre (to close or shut down)echar algo en falta (to miss something)echar la buenaventura (to tell a fortune)echar la vista atrà ¡s (to look back)echar por tierra (to ruin or spoil)echar una siesta (to take a nap or siesta)echar sapos y culebras (to rant and rave)echar una mirada (to take a look)echar sal (to salt)echar en saco roto (to do something in vain)echar el resto (to go for broke)echar un pulso (to challenge so meone, to arm wrestle)echar pestes de alguien (to run somebody down)echar una pelà ­cula (to show a film)echar la primera papilla (to vomit)echar una mano, echar un capote (to help out, give a hand)echar leà ±a al fuego (to add fuel to the fire)echar el guante a alguien (to catch somebody)echar una cana al aire (to let ones hair down. A cana is a gray or white hair.)echar una cabezada (to nap)echar chispas (to give off sparks, to rant)echar una bronca a alguien (to tell off someone)echar agua al vino, echar agua a la leche (to water down) Also, the phrase echar a followed by an infinitive often means to begin, as in these examples: Cada vez que oà ­a la cinta me echaba a llorar. (Each time I heard the tape I would burst into tears.)Prà ©stame tus alas y echarà © a volar. (Lend me your wings and I will begin to fly.) Conjugation of Echar Echar is conjugated regularly, following the pattern of hablar. Here are the most common indicative tenses: Present: yo echo, tà º echas, à ©l/ella/usted echa, nosotros echamos, vosotros echà ¡is, ellos echanPreterite: yo echo, tà º echas, à ©l/ella/usted echa, nosotros echamos, vosotros echà ¡is, ellos echanImperfect: yo echaba, tà º echabas, à ©l/ella/usted echaba, nosotros echà ¡bamos, vosotros echabais, ellos echabanFuture: yo echarà ©, tà º echà ¡s, à ©l/ella/usted echà ¡, nosotros echaremos, vosotros echarà ©is, ellos echaran.