Distinguishing Between Bring & Take

Bring vs Take

Take and bring are two commonly used words in the English language that can be confusing for those learning it. These verbs have similar meanings, but their main difference lies in the direction they operate in. This article delves deeper into these verbs to highlight their differences and proper usage.

Bring and take are semantically driven words, meaning they are dependent on the location and direction of the speaker. Their meanings rely on other verbs and their use in the sentence. So, deciding whether to use ‘bring’ or ‘take’ depends on your point of reference. When you are in a certain place, you can ask others to bring things to where you are. Conversely, you take things to the places you go. In other words, you take things there and bring things here.

For example, in restaurants where you can get takeout food, you take the food to wherever you go. But when you sit inside the restaurant, the waiter brings food to your table. You ask your son to bring in the newspaper from the doorsteps, and you ask him to take out the trash to the garbage truck. The following examples further illustrate the difference between these two verbs:

– Take the baby from his cot and bring him to me
– Please take this coffee and bring a cup of tea for me
– Take your dog away as it looks threatening to me
– Take my credit card when you go shopping
– Bring me a glass of water from the kitchen

Key Takeaways

• Use ‘bring’ when the direction of the thing is towards the speaker.
• Use ‘take’ when the direction of movement is away from the speaker.
• You have takeout restaurants, but the waiter brings food to you when you are eating inside.