Bring vs Take

Grammar chart explaining the difference between 'bring' and 'take' with examples and usage rules.

Download full-size image from Pinterest

Bring and take are both verbs that indicate the carrying or movement of something from one place to another.

Bring

Bring means to carry or move something to the speaker’s location or to the listener’s location.

I asked the waiter to bring me some tea.
What did Lucy bring you from Rome?
Wait for me here. I will come at 7, and I will bring Dave.

Take

Take, on the other hand, implies carrying or moving something away from the speaker’s or the listener’s location.

Can you take me to the station?.
Make sure you take your umbrella when you go to work.

Use either bring or take

When we talk about a person who isn’t the speaker or the listener, we can often use either bring or take in a sentence, but the choice depends on the point of view. Use bring when you think about the person receiving the item, and use take when you think about the person carrying the item.

Sandra always takes him to visit her parents. (We are speaking from Sandra’s point of view.)
Sandra always brings him to visit her parents. (We are speaking from her parents’ point of view.)

Take the Quiz!

Explanation

Register for more Content without ADS!