botar

Botar is a verb with several related meanings that vary by language and region. In everyday use, it often indicates the action of putting, placing, or discarding something, but it can also describe motion such as bouncing.

In Brazilian Portuguese, botar is a common informal alternative to pôr (to put, to place). It is widely used in everyday speech to mean putting something somewhere, starting or initiating an action, or discarding something by throwing it away. Examples include botar o livro na mesa (to put the book on the table) and botar o lixo para fora (to take the trash out). The expression botar fé means to trust or have faith in someone, and phrases like botar pra quebrar convey doing something with great energy or intensity.

In European Portuguese, botar is less formal and is generally considered regional or colloquial; standard usage often favors pôr. When understood, botar in Portugal usually carries similar senses to the Brazilian variant, such as placing or discarding, but speakers may opt for pôr in writing or formal contexts.

In Spanish-speaking regions, botar appears in several countries with meanings tied to throwing away or discarding, and in some dialects it also means to bounce a ball or object. For example, in certain Latin American dialects, botar can mean to throw out or to discard, while in others it may be used for actions like bouncing a ball or propelling something forward. The exact sense is highly regional.

Overall, botar is a versatile, informal verb with its exact meaning shaped by regional norms, and it is often interchangeable with pular or poner in casual speech depending on the location.