Retomar?

What does 'retomar' mean? I looked it up in the dictionary and found "to retake" was a possible (literal) translation. However, I know it is used as "to continue".

- Charlie

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Hi Charlie,

First of all, don't use retomar as "retake". You should say "volver a tomar" in that case. For example,"They let me retake the test" would be "Me permitieron volver a tomar el examen".

Retomar means to continue with something you had put aside... sort of like restarting something and then surpassing the point you stopped at last time (hopefully). The DRAE defines this word as "reanudar algo que se había interrumpido". I would translate it as "to take (something) up again".

For example, I decided to take up studying French again. It has been a whole year since I even looked at a French textbook... I hope I didn't forget too much. That would be "Decidí retomar el estudio del francés..." or just "Decidí retomar el francés..."

Another example. You decide you should go to the gym. And you start going but then you don't feel like going and eventually stop going at all. Some months later you realize you're gaining weight. You decide it's time to take it up again. That is, "Es tiempo de retomarlo".

- Karin