Close in meaning
Bring vs. Take
Bring means to carry something toward the speaker or the place you are talking about. Take means to carry something away from the speaker, toward somewhere else. Bring snacks to my house; take the trash out.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bring | verb | to carry or lead something or someone toward the speaker or the place being talked about |
| take | verb | to carry or lead something or someone away to another place |
Bring
verb: to carry or lead something or someone toward the speaker or the place being talked about
- Please bring your laptop to tomorrow's meeting.
- Sam brought homemade bread when he visited us.
Take
verb: to carry or lead something or someone away to another place
- Don't forget to take an umbrella when you leave.
- Maya took her little brother to the dentist.
How to remember the difference
Bring is for here, take is for there. Picture yourself in the middle: things are brought to you and taken away from you.
Good to know
The choice depends on point of view, so both can be right: Should I bring a salad to your party? looks at it from the host's side. In casual American speech, bring is often used where take would be stricter, and many listeners will not notice.
Spot the mistake
When you go to Grandma's,
bringtake her these cookies.Correct: When you go to Grandma's, take her these cookies.
Can you
takebring me a glass of water from the kitchen?Correct: Can you bring me a glass of water from the kitchen?
Check yourself
Pick the word that fits each sentence.
1. Come over at six, and your favorite board game.
Answer: bring. The game is coming toward the speaker's place, so it is bring.
2. Please these library books back before Friday.
Answer: take. The books are going away from the speaker to the library, so it is take.