Have and got

[Stu]

How do I say "got" in Spanish.
I got a book from the library.

Tengo un libro de la biblioteca. ?

This says I have the book, but I may not have it anymore.

Perhaps

Obtengo un libro ...

[Rusty]

Despite how people use it today, it is incorrect to say 'I got' and mean 'I have'.

It is correct to use "I've got" to mean 'I have'; however, some will say that you should just stick with 'I have'. When you use "I've got," 'got' is preceded by the auxiliary verb 'have' and the verb form is the present perfect tense.

'Got', by itself, is the preterit tense of 'get' and means either 'obtained' or 'received'. We indicate the 'direction' using the preposition 'for' or 'from', respectively.

I got a gift for my wife. (Here, it means 'obtained')
I got a gift from my wife. (Here, it means 'received')

So, depending on the meaning, there is a corresponding Spanish verb.
When the meaning is 'obtained', we use the preterit form of 'obtener'.
When the meaning is 'received', we use the preterit form of 'recibir'.

Since you wrote 'got' followed by 'from', you should use the preterit form of 'obtener'. (You may also use the preterit form of 'conseguir'.)

[Roxerz]

Can we use conseguir here also? The other day, I was looking up "get" also and in google translate it showed Llegar as the suggested word which seemed very weird for me. Ive been overlooking the word "get" and rewording sentences to use traer/llevar/recibir

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Roxerz

Can we use conseguir here also?

Look at my last comment, in parentheses, in my response to the original poster.

[Stu]

Thanks Rusty,
I have learned that there is no word for borrow in Spanish so you have to use loan instead.
I understand you can use saqué to indicate you have removed the book.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Since your question was more about the verbs for "to get" and "to have" than about "to borrow", it wasn't easy to give you the answer you expected. Rusty's answer was the most accurate without any other context.

For saying "I borrowed a book from the library", as you correctly pointed out, we say "saqué un libro de la biblioteca", also (although less common) "me prestaron un libro en la biblioteca".


· Tengo un libro de la biblioteca. -> The book is in my possession right now.

· Conseguí/obtuve un libro de la biblioteca. -> After important efforts, I managed to have (borrowed or not) a book from the library.

[Stu]

Un mil de gracias