Why Colgar Is Much More Than "To Hang"
Colgar is the verb of hanging, from clothes to phone calls. It changes its stem (cuelgo, cuelgas, cuelga, colgamos, cuelgan) and its spelling in the preterite: colgué.
Learn the six chunks below and you will understand phone talk, sports news, social media and the frozen computer.
Pattern 1: Colgar / No cuelgues — "To hang up / Don't hang up"
The phone is "hung" back on its hook, a memory of old phones that Spanish kept. No cuelgues asks someone to stay on the line. For calling, see [Llamar] Chunks.
- No me cuelgues. — Don't hang up on me.
- Colgó sin despedirse. — He hung up without saying goodbye.
- Espera, no cuelgues, que te explico. — Wait, don't hang up, let me explain.
Chunk to learn:
Colgar (el teléfono) / No cuelgues
Pattern 2: Colgar la ropa — "To hang clothes, a picture…"
The basic meaning: hang something on a hook, a line or a wall. It works for clothes, coats and pictures. For putting things in place, see [Poner] Chunks.
- Cuelga la ropa en el tendedero. — Hang the clothes on the line.
- Colgamos un cuadro en la sala. — We hung a picture in the living room.
- Cuelga el abrigo en la percha. — Hang the coat on the hanger.
Chunk to learn:
Colgar + [la ropa / un cuadro / el abrigo]
Pattern 3: Dejar colgado — "To leave someone hanging"
What someone does when they do not show up or do not keep their word. It is informal and a little hurt. For dejar, see [Dejar] Chunks.
- Me dejó colgado. — He left me hanging.
- No me dejes colgado. — Don't leave me in the lurch.
- Nos dejaron colgados en el aeropuerto. — They left us stranded at the airport.
Chunk to learn:
Dejar colgado a + [persona] / No me dejes colgado
Pattern 4: Colgar los guantes — "To retire"
Athletes "hang up their gloves" or boots when they stop competing. It is the standard sports-news chunk. For playing, see [Jugar] Chunks.
- El boxeador colgó los guantes. — The boxer hung up his gloves.
- Colgó las botas tras veinte años. — He retired after twenty years.
- ¿Cuándo piensas colgar los guantes? — When do you plan to retire?
Chunk to learn:
Colgar los guantes / las botas / el uniforme
Pattern 5: Colgar un vídeo — "To post a video online"
In Spain, you "hang" photos and videos on the internet. In Latin America the usual verb is subir; see [Subir] Chunks.
- Colgó un vídeo en Instagram. — She posted a video on Instagram.
- Cuelga las fotos en la nube. — Put the photos in the cloud.
- En Latinoamérica se dice más subir un video. — In Latin America people say subir un video more often.
Chunk to learn:
Colgar un vídeo / una foto (España) = Subir (Latinoamérica)
Pattern 6: Se me colgó la compu — "My computer froze"
In much of Latin America, a device that freezes "hangs itself." Se colgó is the usual way to say it. It is informal and very natural. For machines that stop working, see [Funcionar] Chunks.
- Se me colgó la compu. — My computer froze.
- Se colgó el sistema. — The system froze.
- No funciona, se colgó otra vez. — It's not working, it froze again.
Chunk to learn:
Se (me) colgó + [la compu / el sistema]
Colgar vs. Tender vs. Dejar Plantado
In Spain, people tienden la ropa (spread it out to dry) and cuelgan la ropa en la percha (hang it on a hanger). Dejar plantado is another way to say you stood someone up, close to dejar colgado. Colgar is the safe, general verb for hanging anything.
Start with no cuelgues and no me dejes colgado. You will use both the first time you talk on the phone with Spanish speakers.
This post is part of the Spanish Chunk Series — a growing collection of chunk patterns for natural Spanish.