Lesson for the Week: Using the Spanish Verb Echar

This is a super common and versatile verb - meaning to toss, throw, fling, or put in. In some cases it can also mean "give" - like give it a look, give it a bit more gas, etc.

For a full conjugation chart of all tenses, click here. But looking at conjugations doesn't help give you a grasp on the variety of usages for echar - for that we'll need to look at some sentences using the verb, as well as some idiomatic expressions that use echar and echarse, the reflexive form of the verb (reminder: reflexive verbs reflect back on who is doing the action: bañarse = yo me baño - I take a bath or bathe myself, irse = tú te vas - you go or you take yourself, etc).

Sentences with Echar - Oraciones con el Verbo Echar

Echa la pelota

Throw the ball

No eches eso a la basura

Don't throw that in the garbage

¡Échale más gasolina!

Give it more gas!

¿Puedes echarle una mirada a mi coche?

Can you take a look at my car?

¡No me eches la culpa a mi!

Don't go blaming me! (or don't put that blame on me!)

Click to hear an mp3 of the preterite tense

Idiomatic Expressions with the Verb Echar

echar a + infinitive to start to

echar en cara to throw in somebody's face

echar a perder to ruin or spoil

echar en el olvido to forget completely

echar abajo to demolish

echar flores to flatter

echar al correo to mail or put in the mail

echar mano a to lay hands on

echar la bronca a uno to get mad at somebody

echar raíces to take root

echar chispas to be angry or very mad

echar todo a rodar to screw things up or spoil things

echar una mirada to take a look

echar la culpa to blame or put the blame on somebody

echar de menos to miss (as in: while you were gone I missed you)

echar de comer to feed (animals)

echarse atrás to lean backwards or retract

echarse a dormir to lie down to sleep

echárselas de to boast or brag of being something

Worksheet/Activity: The Verb Echar

Quiz: Spanish Verb Echar

Hangman: El Verbo Echar

Internet Link: Expressions w/ Echar