Also means
to grab
Usage Note
Pillar is highly colloquial in Spain (less used in Latin America, where agarrar or coger are preferred). It covers catching someone in the act (te pillé — I caught you), catching an illness (pillé un resfriado), and being hit by a vehicle (le pilló un coche). In formal registers, coger or atrapar are safer choices.
Examples
"La policía pilló al ladrón en el acto."
Natural Translation
The police caught the thief in the act.
Related Words
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