Vocabulary

Level: A2
Accent: 1 accent
Time: 15 min

Learn Spanish: Levantar vs. Levantarse for Lifting Objects and Getting Up

By MicroSpanish editorial team Published 7 Nov 2026

The short answer

In the uses taught here, levantar expresses lifting or raising an object or body part, while reflexive levantarse describes a person rising from bed or standing up from a seat.

Key points

If you are lifting an object, a child, or your hand, choose levantar.
If you yourself are standing up from a chair or getting out of bed, choose levantarse.
In common lifting contexts, levantar pairs with the item or body part being raised, as in levantar la maleta, levantar una caja, or levantar esta maleta.

Start the lesson

This lesson has 5 stages. You can stop at any time and continue later.

Stage 1 of 5

Understand

What it means, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid.

Examples

El abuelo se levanta del sillón después de descansar.

Grandfather gets up from the armchair after resting.

Why it works: Use reflexive levantarse because grandfather is moving his own body up from a seated position.

2 more examples

Los niños levantan los platos de la mesa tras la cena.

The children clear the plates from the table after dinner.

Use transitive levantar because the plates are external objects being lifted and cleared.
Cuando suena la campana, toda la clase se levanta y recoge los libros.

When the bell rings, the whole class stands up and collects their books.

The verb se levanta is reflexive because the students physically stand up from their seats.

Read the full guide

8 short steps, one check each

Lifting an outside object versus moving your whole body

English speakers often say 'get up' and 'lift' without realizing that Spanish requires a reflexive pronoun only when the person themselves rises.

The problem: English speakers often say 'get up' and 'lift' without realizing that Spanish requires a reflexive pronoun only when the person themselves rises.

Use non-reflexive levantar when you pick up or elevate an external item from a surface. When you physically move your entire body from a seated or reclining posture to an upright position, use reflexive levantarse.

Levanto la mochila pesada del suelo.

I lift the heavy backpack from the floor.

Why it works: The backpack is an external object being moved upward, so levantar is used without a reflexive pronoun.
Me levanto de la silla despacio.

I get up from the chair slowly.

Why it works: The speaker moves their own body upward from a seated position, requiring the reflexive pronoun me.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly says you are picking up a book from the floor.

Show the answer

Answer: Levanto el libro del suelo.

Because the book is an external object being picked up, non-reflexive levantar is required.

Getting out of bed in the morning

Learners sometimes drop the reflexive pronoun when stating the hour they get out of bed, producing incomplete sentences.

The problem: Learners sometimes drop the reflexive pronoun when stating the hour they get out of bed, producing incomplete sentences.

Everyday morning routines use reflexive levantarse to describe getting out of bed. The reflexive pronoun matches the person getting up: me levanto, te levantas, se levanta, nos levantamos, se levantan.

Carlos se levanta a las siete de la mañana.

Carlos gets up at seven in the morning.

Why it works: Carlos rises from bed, so third-person singular se levanta is correct.
Siempre nos levantamos temprano para ir al trabajo.

We always get up early to go to work.

Why it works: The first-person plural routine uses nos levantamos.

You can practise this again in Learn Spanish: Buscar vs. Encontrar for Looking For and Finding and Learn Spanish: De Pie vs. Sentado for Standing and Sitting States.

Your turn

Choose the correct sentence to express that Sofía gets out of bed early every day.

Show the answer

Answer: Sofía se levanta temprano todos los días.

Describing the routine of getting out of bed requires reflexive se levanta.

Raising your hand or arm in class

Learners often assume that because a hand belongs to their own body, the action must be reflexive.

The problem: Learners often assume that because a hand belongs to their own body, the action must be reflexive.

In Spanish, common phrases for raising a hand or arm pair levantar directly with the limb, as in levantar la mano or levantar los brazos, without adding a reflexive pronoun.

El estudiante levanta la mano para hacer una pregunta.

The student raises their hand to ask a question.

Why it works: The hand is the direct object of levanta, so no reflexive pronoun appears.
Todos los alumnos levantan los brazos en la clase de gimnasia.

All the pupils raise their arms in gym class.

Why it works: The arms are the direct object of transitive levantar, so no reflexive pronoun is used.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly says you raise your hand when you have a question.

Show the answer

Answer: Levanto la mano cuando tengo una duda.

La mano is the direct object of non-reflexive levanto.

Standing up from chairs, sofas, and benches

Learners sometimes confuse getting out of a chair with lifting the furniture itself.

The problem: Learners sometimes confuse getting out of a chair with lifting the furniture itself.

When rising from a seated position on a chair, stool, sofa, or bench, use reflexive levantarse. The seat you depart from is marked with the preposition de: levantarse de la silla, levantarse del sofá.

El público se levanta al terminar el concierto.

The audience stands up when the concert ends.

Why it works: The audience members move their own bodies into a standing posture.
¿Puedes levantarte del sofá para abrir la puerta?

Can you stand up from the sofa to open the door?

Why it works: Rising from the sofa uses the reflexive infinitive with te attached.

Your turn

Choose the correct sentence to tell someone not to stand up from the table yet.

Show the answer

Answer: No te levantes de la mesa todavía.

Telling someone not to stand up from a seated position requires the negative reflexive command no te levantes.

Lifting weights, packages, and household items

Learners mistakenly add reflexive pronouns when talking about strenuous physical effort or heavy lifting.

The problem: Learners mistakenly add reflexive pronouns when talking about strenuous physical effort or heavy lifting.

Physical exertion does not make a verb reflexive. When a worker, athlete, or mover lifts boxes, weights, furniture, or bags, use transitive levantar directly with the noun phrase describing the item.

Mi hermano levanta cajas pesadas en el almacén.

My brother lifts heavy boxes in the warehouse.

Why it works: The heavy boxes are the direct object being moved by the worker.
No puedo levantar esta maleta sin ayuda.

I cannot lift this suitcase without help.

Why it works: Transitive levantar takes the suitcase as its direct object.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly describes a worker lifting a wooden box with care.

Show the answer

Answer: El trabajador levanta la caja de madera con cuidado.

The wooden box is an external object being moved, requiring non-reflexive levantar.

Helping or lifting another person

When one person helps another stand up or picks up a child, learners struggle with whether the verb should be reflexive.

The problem: When one person helps another stand up or picks up a child, learners struggle with whether the verb should be reflexive.

When you physically lift another person or pick up a child, use non-reflexive levantar with personal a. When you help someone get up on their own feet, the person who rises keeps the reflexive pronoun in the phrase ayudar a levantarse.

La madre levanta al niño pequeño del suelo.

The mother picks the toddler up from the floor.

Why it works: The mother lifts someone else, so non-reflexive levantar is used with personal a.
El enfermero ayuda al paciente a levantarse de la cama.

The nurse helps the patient get up from the bed.

Why it works: When helping someone stand up on their own feet, the action of rising uses reflexive levantarse.

Your turn

Choose the correct sentence to say that Mateo helps his younger brother stand up.

Show the answer

Answer: Mateo ayuda a su hermano pequeño a levantarse.

Because the brother is the one getting up on his feet, the reflexive infinitive levantarse is required with ayudar a.

Pronoun placement with compound verb structures

Learners are unsure where to attach reflexive pronouns when combining verbs like querer or tener que with levantarse.

The problem: Learners are unsure where to attach reflexive pronouns when combining verbs like querer or tener que with levantarse.

When using levantarse with common constructions such as querer or tener que followed by an infinitive, place the reflexive pronoun either before the conjugated verb (me tengo que levantar) or attached directly to the end of the infinitive (tengo que levantarme).

Mañana tengo que levantarme a las seis.

Tomorrow I have to get up at six.

Why it works: The reflexive pronoun me is attached to the infinitive form of levantar.
¿A qué hora vas a levantarte el sábado?

What time are you going to get up on Saturday?

Why it works: The second-person pronoun te attaches cleanly to the end of the infinitive.

Your turn

Choose the correct sentence to express that Elena wants to get up early tomorrow.

Show the answer

Answer: Elena quiere levantarse temprano mañana.

The reflexive pronoun se must be attached to the infinitive levantarse or placed before quiere.

Contrasting both actions in connected speech

In full conversations, learners must switch naturally between rising from a seat and picking up items.

The problem: In full conversations, learners must switch naturally between rising from a seat and picking up items.

In connected speech, a single routine often combines both actions in sequence. Track the focus of each clause: use reflexive levantarse for the move where you stand up from a bed or chair, and switch immediately to non-reflexive levantar when you pick up, raise, or clear an object in the same scene.

Me levanto de la cama y luego levanto la persiana.

I get out of bed and then I raise the blind.

Why it works: The first verb uses reflexive me levanto because the speaker rises from bed.
Antes de levantarte de la silla, levanta los papeles que cayeron.

Before getting up from the chair, pick up the papers that fell.

Why it works: The second clause uses transitive levanta because the dropped papers are the direct object.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly combines getting out of bed and lifting a bag from the floor.

Show the answer

Answer: Me levanto a las siete y levanto la bolsa del suelo.

Rising from bed requires reflexive me levanto, while picking up the bag requires transitive levanto.

Before you go

Remember this

If you are lifting an object, a child, or your hand, choose levantar. If you yourself are standing up from a chair or getting out of bed, choose levantarse.

Stage 2 of 5