Phrasal Verbs con TAKE: Guía Completa con Significados y Ejemplos

TAKE es uno de esos verbos que los estudiantes de inglés aprenden pronto en su forma simple pero que esconde una complejidad enorme cuando empieza a combinarse con partículas. La buena noticia es que muchas de sus combinaciones siguen cierta lógica: tomar algo implica hacerse cargo de ello, llevarlo contigo o quitárselo a alguien.

Entender ese hilo conductor ayuda a recordar mejor las combinaciones y a deducir significados en contexto cuando te encuentras con una combinación desconocida.

Para más contexto sobre cómo funcionan los phrasal verbs en general, la guía completa de phrasal verbs es un buen punto de partida.

---

Take off

Probablemente el phrasal verb con TAKE más versátil, con cuatro significados muy distintos:

Despegar (un avión o cohete)

• The plane took off thirty minutes late.
• The rocket took off at dawn.

Quitarse algo (ropa, zapatos, accesorios)

• Take your shoes off before coming in.
• She took off her coat and sat down.

Nota: es separable. Take them off ✓ / Take off them ✗

Tener éxito de forma rápida y notable

• The app took off overnight — a million downloads in 24 hours.
• Her career really took off after that first album.

Imitar a alguien (de forma humorística)

• He takes off the boss perfectly — the whole office finds it hilarious.

---

Take on

Asumir una responsabilidad o tarea

• She took on more work than she could handle.
• Are you sure you want to take on this project?

Contratar a alguien

• The company is taking on new staff this quarter.
• We need to take on two more developers.

Enfrentarse a alguien o algo

• He decided to take on the system and fight for his rights.
• The startup took on the industry giants and won.

Adquirir una característica

• The sky took on a reddish color at sunset.
• The situation is taking on a different tone.

---

Take up

Empezar a practicar un hobby o actividad

• She took up yoga during lockdown and never stopped.
• Have you ever considered taking up a musical instrument?

Ocupar espacio o tiempo

• This meeting is taking up my whole morning.
• The new sofa takes up too much space in the living room.

Retomar algo que se interrumpió

• Let's take up where we left off.

Aceptar una oferta (especialmente después de pensarlo)

• I decided to take up his offer of help.
• She took up the challenge immediately.

---

Take over

Apoderarse del control de algo, tomar el relevo.

• A new CEO took over the company last year.
• Can you take over for me? I need a break.
• Automation is taking over many manual jobs.

---

Take after

Parecerse a alguien de la familia en carácter o aspecto físico.

• She takes after her mother — same eyes, same sense of humor.
• He doesn't take after either parent — he's completely his own person.

---

Take away

Llevarse algo de un lugar; también quitar algo.

• Take away the dishes when you're done.
• What's the main thing you take away from this course?
• Takeaway (sustantivo): en el Reino Unido, comida para llevar; también la conclusión principal de algo.

---

Take back

Devolver algo; también retirar lo que se ha dicho.

• I need to take this back — it doesn't fit.
• I take back what I said — I was wrong.
• That song takes me back to my childhood. (evocar un recuerdo)

---

Take in

Absorber información, comprender

• There was so much new information — I couldn't take it all in.
• Take your time and take in what you've just read.

Engañar a alguien

• She was completely taken in by his story.
• Don't be taken in by those online scams.

Acoger a alguien en casa

• They took in a refugee family for three months.

En costura: estrechar una prenda

• This jacket needs to be taken in at the waist.

---

Take out

Sacar algo de un lugar; también salir con alguien.

• Take the trash out, please.
• He took out his phone and started typing.
• I'm taking her out for dinner tonight. (invitar a salir)

Take it out on someone: descargar la frustración en alguien inocente.

• Don't take it out on me — I didn't cause the problem.

---

Take down

Bajar algo; también anotar; también destruir o derribar.

• Take down the decorations — Christmas is over.
• Take down his number so you don't forget it.
• The government took down the illegal website.

---

Take apart

Desmontar algo; también criticar algo duramente.

• He took apart the engine and put it back together.
• The critics took the film apart.

---

Los errores más frecuentes con phrasal verbs de TAKE

Take off la ropa vs take off (avión)

El contexto resuelve casi siempre la ambigüedad, pero en writing es importante que la frase sea clara. "She took off" sin más contexto se interpretará como que se marchó o que el avión despegó.

Take on vs take over

Take on implica asumir algo adicional. Take over implica reemplazar o controlar completamente. "Can you take on the project while I'm away?" vs "Can you take over the project completely?"

Take up + infinitivo vs gerundio

❌ She took up to play tennis. ✓ She took up playing tennis.

Take it out on vs take out

Take out es sacar o salir con alguien. Take it out on es descargar emociones negativas en alguien. Son distintos.