catar

See also: Catar, càtar, catâr, and catàr

Asturian

Etymology

From Late Latin cattāre (“look at, see”), from Latin captāre (“strive to see, strive to catch with one's eyes”).

Verb

catar (first-person singular indicative present cato, past participle catáu)

to milk
to search, look for
to gaze
to catch

Conjugation

Conjugation of catar

person		first singular yo	second singular tu	third singular él/elli	first plural nosotros/nós	second plural vosotros/vós	third plural ellos
infinitive		catar
gerund		catando
past participle		m catáu, f catada, n catao, m pl cataos, f pl cataes
indicative	present	cato	cates	cata	catamos	catáis	caten
	imperfect	cataba	catabes	cataba	catábemos, catábamos	catabeis, catabais	cataben
	preterite	caté	catasti, catesti	cató	catemos	catastis, catestis	cataron
	pluperfect	catare, catara	catares, cataras	catare, catara	catáremos, catáramos	catareis, catarais	cataren, cataran
	future	cataré	catarás	catará	cataremos	cataréis	catarán
	conditional	cataría	cataríes	cataría	cataríemos, cataríamos	cataríeis, cataríais	cataríen
subjunctive	present	cate	cates, catas	cate	catemos	catéis	caten, catan
subjunctive	imperfect	catare, catara	catares, cataras	catare, catara	catáremos, catáramos	catareis, catarais	cataren, cataran
imperative		—	cata	—	—	catái	—

Galician

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese catar, from Late Latin cattāre (“look at, see”), from Latin captāre (“strive to see, strive to catch with one's eyes”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kaˈtaɾ/
Hyphenation: ca‧tar

Noun

catar m (plural catares)

(archaic) gaze

Adverb

catar

except (for), unless

Verb

catar (first-person singular present cato, first-person singular preterite catei, past participle catado)

(transitive) to catch
(transitive) to collect
(transitive) to collect honey
Synonyms: castrar, esmelgar
(transitive) to search
(transitive) to perceive, notice
(pronominal) to realize (become aware of a fact or situation)
Synonym: decatar
(transitive) to carefully search
Synonym: procurar
(transitive) to delouse
Synonym: espiollar
(transitive) to taste; to eat
(intransitive) to take care
- 1594, anonymous author, Entremés dos pastores:
  Ay Jan cata non te enfermes
  nen sentencies con malicia
  cata que a yalma perdes.
  Oh, John, take care, don't get mad
  Don't speak with malice
  Take care, because you're losing your soul

Conjugation

Conjugation of catar

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti)	Third-person (el / ela / Vde.)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal	catar
Personal	catar	catares	catar	catarmos	catardes	cataren
Gerund
	catando
Past participle
Masculine	catado			catados
Feminine	catada			catadas
Indicative
Present	cato	catas	cata	catamos	catades	catan
Imperfect	cataba	catabas	cataba	catabamos	catabades	cataban
Preterite	catei	cataches	catou	catamos	catastes	cataron
Pluperfect	catara	cataras	catara	cataramos	catarades	cataran
Future	catarei	catarás	catará	cataremos	cataredes	catarán
Conditional	cataría	catarías	cataría	catariamos	catariades	catarían
Subjunctive
Present	cate	cates	cate	catemos	catedes	caten
Imperfect	catase	catases	catase	catásemos	catásedes	catasen
Future	catar	catares	catar	catarmos	catardes	cataren
Imperative
Affirmative		cata	cate	catemos	catade	caten
Negative (non)		non cates	non cate	non catemos	non catedes	non caten

Reintegrated conjugation of catar (See Appendix:Reintegrationism)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti / tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	catar
Personal	catar	catares	catar	catarmos	catardes	catarem
Gerund
	catando
Past participle
Masculine	catado			catados
Feminine	catada			catadas
Indicative
Present	cato	catas	cata	catamos	catades, catais	catam
Imperfect	catava	catavas	catava	catávamos	catávades, catáveis, catávais¹	catavam
Preterite	catei	cataste, catache¹	catou	catamos	catastes	catárom, cataram
Pluperfect	catara	cataras	catara	catáramos	catárades, catáreis, catárais¹	cataram
Future	catarei	catarás	catará	cataremos	cataredes, catareis	catarám, catarão
Conditional	cataria	catarias	cataria	cataríamos	cataríades, cataríeis, cataríais¹	catariam
Subjunctive
Present	cate	cates	cate	catemos	catedes, cateis	catem
Imperfect	catasse	catasses	catasse	catássemos	catássedes, catásseis	catassem
Future	catar	catares	catar	catarmos	catardes	catarem
Imperative
Affirmative		cata	cate	catemos	catade, catai	catem
Negative (nom)		nom cates	nom cate	nom catemos	nom catedes, nom cateis	nom catem

¹Less recommended.

Derived terms

References

Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “catar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “catar”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “catar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
“catar”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025
Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “catar”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
“catar” in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (2014).
Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “catar”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN
Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “cata que”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Occitan

Etymology 1

from the masculine plural of Medieval Latin Catharī (“Pure (ones)”), from the masculine plural of Byzantine Greek καθαροί (katharoí, “Pure (ones)”), from the masculine singular of Byzantine Greek καθαρός (katharós, “Pure (one)”), from Ancient Greek καθαρός (katharós, “pure”).

Adjective

catar m (feminine singular catara, masculine plural catars, feminine plural cataras)

Cathar

Related terms

catarisme

Etymology 2

Derived from Medieval Latin catarrus, from Late Latin catarrhus, from Ancient Greek κατάρροος (katárrhoos), which is derived from καταρρέω (katarrhéō, “I flow down”), which is composed of κατά (katá, “down”) and ῥέω (rhéō, “I flow”).

Noun

catar m (plural catars)

(medicine) catarrh

Related terms

Old Galician-Portuguese

Etymology

From Late Latin cattāre (“look at, see”), from Latin captāre (“strive to see, strive to catch with one's eyes”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ka.ˈtaɾ/
Rhymes: -aɾ

Verb

catar

to look; to observe; to examine
to look for
- a. 1284, Alfonso X of Castile, Cantigas de Santa Maria, Códice de los músicos, cantiga 335 (facsimile):
  
  ⁊ eles lle reſponderon / atal allur a catade.
  And they answered him: / go seek her elsewhere.
- 13th century, Cancioneiro da Biblioteca Nacional, Estêvão Fernandes Barreto, B 1611: Stev'Eanes, por Deus mandade (facsimile)
  Out(ro) camj̃ho cate todauia […]
  Nevertheless, look for another way […]
to consider
to care
- 1370, Ramón Lorenzo, editor, Crónica Troiana, A Coruña: Fundación Barrié, page 533:
  Et moytas uegadas cõteçe que hay algũus que nõ catã senõ porlo que he sua prol
  And many times it happens that there are some than don't care but for their own interest
- 1370, Ramón Lorenzo, editor, Crónica Troiana, A Coruña: Fundación Barrié, page 297:
  cata ben tua fazẽda, de tal maneyra que todos digã que de bon padre que seýo bon fillo
  take good care of your possessions and responsibilities, so that everyone says that of a good father came a good son

Conjugation

Conjugation of catar

gerund		compound		gerund of haver or tẽer¹ + past participle
infinitive				catar
gerund		simple		catando
past participle				singular		plural
		masculine		catado		catados
		feminine		catada		catadas
present participle				catante		catantes
person		singular			plural
person		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative mood		eu ei	tu	el~ele ela vossa mercee	nos nos outros nos outras	vos vos outros vos outras	eles elas
simple tenses	present	cato	catas	cata	catamos	catades	catan
	imperfect	catava	catavas	catava	catavamos, catávamos	catavades, catávades	catavan
	preterite	catei	cataste, catasche, catache	catou	catamos	catastes	cataron
	pluperfect	catara	cataras	catara	cataramos, catáramos	catarades, catárades	cataran
	future	catarei	catarás	catará	cataremos	cataredes	catarán
	conditional	cataria	catarias	cataria	catariamos, cataríamos	catariades, cataríades	catarian
compound tenses	present perfect	present of haver or tẽer¹ + past participle
	pluperfect	imperfect of haver or tẽer¹ + past participle
	past anterior	preterite of haver or tẽer¹ + past participle
	pluperfect anterior	simple pluperfect of haver or tẽer¹ + past participle
	future perfect	future of haver or tẽer¹ + past participle
	conditional perfect	conditional of haver or tẽer¹ + past participle
subjunctive mood		eu ei	tu	el~ele ela vossa mercee	nos nos outros nos outras	vos vos outros vos outras	eles elas
simple tenses	present	cate	cates	cate	catemos	catedes	caten
	imperfect	catasse	catasses	catasse	catassemos, catássemos	catassedes, catássedes	catassen
	future	catar	catares	catar	catarmos	catardes	cataren
compound tenses	present perfect	present subjunctive of haver or tẽer¹ + past participle
	pluperfect	imperfect subjunctive of haver or tẽer¹ + past participle
	future perfect	future subjunctive of haver or tẽer¹ + past participle
imperative mood		—	tu	vossa mercee	nos nos outros nos outras	vos vos outros vos outras	—
affirmative		—	cata	cate	catemos	catade	—
negative		—	non cates	non cate	non catemos	non catedes	—
personal infinitive		eu ei	tu	el~ele ela vossa mercee	nos nos outros nos outras	vos vos outros vos outras	eles elas
personal infinitive		catar	catares	catar	catarmos	catardes	cataren
¹ teer and “ter were also used, although all three were less common than haver.

Descendants

Galician: catar
Portuguese: catar

Noun

catar m (plural catares)

gaze

References

Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “catar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “catar”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega

Portuguese

Etymology 1

From Late Latin cattāre (“look at, see”), from Latin captāre (“strive to see, strive to catch with one's eyes”). Compare Galician, Asturian, and Spanish catar, Doublet of captar, a borrowing from Latin. Meaning “to find” possibly influenced by Venetan catar.

Pronunciation

(Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈta(ʁ)/ [kaˈta(h)]
- (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /kaˈta(ɾ)/
- (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /kaˈta(ʁ)/ [kaˈta(χ)]
- (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈta(ɻ)/

(Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈtaɾ/
- (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈta.ɾi/

Homophone: Catar (Brazil)
Hyphenation: ca‧tar

Verb

catar (first-person singular present cato, first-person singular preterite catei, past participle catado)

(transitive) to gather; to glean; to collect (get multiple things)
Synonyms: colher, recolher

Vamos catar as maçãs da árvore? ― Let’s gather apples from the tree?
(transitive) to pick up (collect an object, especially from the ground)
Synonym: pegar

Deixei cair a carta, pode catá-la para mim? ― I dropped the letter, can you pick it up for me?
(transitive) to look for; to search for (try to find something)
Synonyms: procurar, buscar

Passei o dia catando o livro. ― I spent the day looking for the book.
(slang, transitive) to pick up (start a short romantic relationship with)
Synonym: pegar

Ele catou duas raparigas na festa. ― He picked up two chicks at the party.
(transitive) to clean something by removing defective elements one by one
Synonym: selecionar

Cate o feijão antes de o cozinhar. ― Remove the rotten beans before cooking them.
(transitive, Rio Grande do Sul) to find
Synonyms: achar, encontrar

Catei esse vídeo no YouTube. ― I found that video on YouTube.

Conjugation

Conjugation of catar (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	catar
Personal	catar	catares	catar	catarmos	catardes	catarem
Gerund
	catando
Past participle
Masculine	catado			catados
Feminine	catada			catadas
Indicative
Present	cato	catas	cata	catamos	catais	catam
Imperfect	catava	catavas	catava	catávamos	catáveis	catavam
Preterite	catei	cataste	catou	catamos¹, catámos²	catastes	cataram
Pluperfect	catara	cataras	catara	catáramos	catáreis	cataram
Future	catarei	catarás	catará	cataremos	catareis	catarão
Conditional	cataria	catarias	cataria	cataríamos	cataríeis	catariam
Subjunctive
Present	cate	cates	cate	catemos	cateis	catem
Imperfect	catasse	catasses	catasse	catássemos	catásseis	catassem
Future	catar	catares	catar	catarmos	catardes	catarem
Imperative
Affirmative		cata	cate	catemos	catai	catem
Negative (não)		não cates	não cate	não catemos	não cateis	não catem

¹Brazilian Portuguese.
²European Portuguese.

Derived terms

Related terms

acatar

Etymology 2

From Persian (qatâr), from Arabic قِطَار (qiṭār, “train”).^[1]^[2]

Pronunciation

(Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈtaʁ/ [kaˈtah]
- (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /kaˈtaɾ/
- (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /kaˈtaʁ/ [kaˈtaχ]
- (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈtaɻ/

(Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈtaɾ/
- (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈta.ɾi/

Homophone: Catar (Brazil)
Hyphenation: ca‧tar

Noun

catar m (plural catares)

a train of camels
Synonym: cáfila

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

(Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈtaʁ/ [kaˈtah]
- (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /kaˈtaɾ/
- (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /kaˈtaʁ/ [kaˈtaχ]
- (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈtaɻ/

(Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈtaɾ/
- (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈta.ɾi/

Homophone: Catar (Brazil)
Hyphenation: ca‧tar

Noun

catar m (plural catares)

(Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) (very rare) Alternative form of cátaro

References

^ “catar”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025
^ “catar”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French catarrhe, from Latin catarrhus.

Noun

catar n (plural cataruri)

catarrh

Declension

Declension of **catar**
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
	singular		plural
nominative-accusative	catar	catarul	cataruri	catarurile
genitive-dative	catar	catarului	cataruri	catarurilor
vocative	catarule		catarurilor

Spanish

Etymology

Inherited from Old Spanish catar, from Late Latin cattāre (“look at, see”), from Latin captāre (“strive to see, strive to catch with one's eyes”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /kaˈtaɾ/ [kaˈt̪aɾ]
Rhymes: -aɾ
Syllabification: ca‧tar

Verb

catar (first-person singular present cato, first-person singular preterite caté, past participle catado)

(transitive) to taste (wine)
(transitive) to sample (an appetizer)
(transitive) to examine, look at
(intransitive, dated) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Conjugation

Conjugation of catar (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

		singular			plural
infinitive			catar
gerund			catando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		catado		catada
		plural		catados		catadas
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	cato	catas^{^tú} catás^{^vos}	cata	catamos	catáis	catan
	imperfect	cataba	catabas	cataba	catábamos	catabais	cataban
	preterite	caté	cataste	cató	catamos	catasteis	cataron
	future	cataré	catarás	catará	cataremos	cataréis	catarán
	conditional	cataría	catarías	cataría	cataríamos	cataríais	catarían

subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	cate	cates^{^tú} catés^{^vos²}	cate	catemos	catéis	caten
	imperfect (ra)	catara	cataras	catara	catáramos	catarais	cataran
	imperfect (se)	catase	catases	catase	catásemos	cataseis	catasen
	future¹	catare	catares	catare	catáremos	catareis	cataren

imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		cata^{^tú} catá^{^vos}	cate	catemos	catad	caten
	negative		no cates	no cate	no catemos	no catéis	no caten

¹Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.

Selected combined forms of catar

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive catar	dative	catarme	catarte	catarle, catarse	catarnos	cataros	catarles, catarse
with infinitive catar	accusative	catarme	catarte	catarlo, catarla, catarse	catarnos	cataros	catarlos, catarlas, catarse

with gerund catando	dative	catándome	catándote	catándole, catándose	catándonos	catándoos	catándoles, catándose
with gerund catando	accusative	catándome	catándote	catándolo, catándola, catándose	catándonos	catándoos	catándolos, catándolas, catándose

with informal second-person singular tú imperative cata	dative	cátame	cátate	cátale	cátanos	not used	cátales
with informal second-person singular tú imperative cata	accusative	cátame	cátate	cátalo, cátala	cátanos	not used	cátalos, cátalas

with informal second-person singular vos imperative catá	dative	catame	catate	catale	catanos	not used	catales
with informal second-person singular vos imperative catá	accusative	catame	catate	catalo, catala	catanos	not used	catalos, catalas

with formal second-person singular imperative cate	dative	cáteme	not used	cátele, cátese	cátenos	not used	cáteles
with formal second-person singular imperative cate	accusative	cáteme	not used	cátelo, cátela, cátese	cátenos	not used	cátelos, cátelas

with first-person plural imperative catemos	dative	not used	catémoste	catémosle	catémonos	catémoos	catémosles
with first-person plural imperative catemos	accusative	not used	catémoste	catémoslo, catémosla	catémonos	catémoos	catémoslos, catémoslas

with informal second-person plural imperative catad	dative	catadme	not used	catadle	catadnos	cataos	catadles
with informal second-person plural imperative catad	accusative	catadme	not used	catadlo, catadla	catadnos	cataos	catadlos, catadlas

with formal second-person plural imperative caten	dative	cátenme	not used	cátenle	cátennos	not used	cátenles, cátense
with formal second-person plural imperative caten	accusative	cátenme	not used	cátenlo, cátenla	cátennos	not used	cátenlos, cátenlas, cátense

Derived terms

Related terms

acatar

Anagrams

carta, traca

Venetan

Etymology

From Latin captāre.

Verb

catar

(transitive) to find

Conjugation

* Venetan conjugation varies from one region to another. Hence, the following conjugation should be considered as typical, not as exhaustive.

Conjugation of catar (first conjugation)

person	singular			plural
infinitive	catar
auxiliary verb		aver	gerund		catando
past participle		catà
person	first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	mi	ti	eło / eła	noialtri / noialtre	voialtri / voialtre	łuri / łore
present	cato	(te) cati	(el/ła) cata	catémo, catòn	caté	(i/łe) cata
imperfect	catava	(te) catavi	(el/ła) catava	catàvimo	catavi	(i/łe) catava
future	catarò	(te) catarè	(el/ła) catarà	catarémo	catarè	(i/łe) catarà
conditional	catarìa	(te) catarisi	(el/ła) catarìa	catarìsimo	catarisi	(i/łe) catarìa
subjunctive	che mi	che ti	che eło / eła	che noialtri / noialtre	che voialtri / voialtre	che łuri / łore
present	cate, cata	(te) cati	(el/ła) cate, (el/ła) cata	catémo, catone	caté	(i/łe) cate, (i/łe) cata
imperfect	catase	(te) catasi	(el/ła) catase	catàsimo	catasi	(i/łe) catase
imperative	—	ti	eło / eła	noialtri / noialtre	voialtri / voialtre	łuri / łore
imperative	—	(te) cata	(el/ła) cata, (el/ła) cate	catémo	caté	(i/łe) cata, (i/łe) cate

Related terms

catarse

Descendants

→? Dalmatian: catur (“find”)

[1] “catar”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025

[2] “catar”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

[1]

[2]

Asturian

Etymology

Verb

Conjugation

Galician

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Adverb

Verb

Conjugation

Derived terms

References

Occitan

Etymology 1

Adjective

Related terms

Etymology 2

Noun

Related terms

Further reading

Old Galician-Portuguese

Etymology

Pronunciation

Verb

Conjugation

Descendants

Noun

References

Portuguese

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Verb

Conjugation

Derived terms

Related terms

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Noun

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

Noun

References

Further reading

Romanian

Etymology

Noun

Declension

Spanish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Verb

Conjugation

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

Anagrams

Venetan

Etymology

Verb

Conjugation

Related terms

Descendants