pillar

to catch, to grab, to get (hold of), to understand, to get (it)

p i ˈʝ a ɾ

pill catch; grab + ar Infinitive

verb Rare #25,669

to catch, to grab, to get (hold of) Informal; very common in Spain (also used for catching transport: “pillar el autobús”).

SP: Voy a pillar el autobús antes de que se vaya.

EN: I'm going to catch the bus before it leaves.

to understand, to get (it) Informal; common in Spain.

SP: No puedo pillar la idea; ¿me la explicas otra vez?

EN: I can't get the idea; can you explain it to me again?

Conjugation of pillar

Past

pillado

Indicative past

	Singular	Plural
First	pillé	—
Third	pilló	pillaron

pillar

Indicative present

	Singular	Plural
First	pillo	—
Third	pilla	—

Subjunctive present

	Singular	Plural
First	pillo	—
Third	pilla	—

Imperative

	Singular	Plural
Second	pilla	—

Estoy haciendo todo lo posible para evitar pillar un resfriado.

I’m doing everything I can to avoid catching a cold.

Perros y gatos, ¿qué es más fácil pillar?

Dogs and cats, which is easier to catch?

— El síndrome asténico (1989)

Tom no puede creerse que Mary se dejara pillar.

Tom can't believe Mary let herself get caught.

Estoy haciendo todo lo que puedo para evitar pillar un resfriado.

I'm doing everything I can to avoid catching a cold.

Llévate un jersey para no pillar un resfriado.

Take a sweater with you so you don't catch a cold.

Ella no sale de la habitación, porque no quiere pillar otro resfriado.

She isn't leaving the room because she doesn't want to catch another cold.

Pillar como pillar puede.

To catch as one might.

Al ser extranjero, no pude pillar el chiste.

Since I'm a foreigner, I didn't get the joke.

Nada más que no te vaya a pillar con un animal aquí.

Just make sure I don't catch you with an animal here.

— Ace Ventura, un detective diferente (1994)

No puede ser que no haya pasta para pillar en ningún sitio.

It can't be that there's no money to be had anywhere.

— El salario del miedo (1953)

Si no es amarillo, nos van a pillar.

If it's not yellow, we're going to get caught.

— The Host (2006)

Sounds similar to

billar b i ˈʝ a ɾ pisar p i ˈs a ɾ picar p i ˈk a ɾ pilar p i ˈl a ɾ