1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To wrongly believe that someone or something is a particular person or type of thing
"In the dark, she took him for a burglar and called the police."
inseparable
take for
B2 neutral inseparable transitive
To believe or assume someone or something is a particular type of person or thing, often mistakenly
In plain English
Think someone is something they're not, or treat them as if they are a certain kind of person
What does "take for" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To consider someone to be a particular type of person, especially used in rhetorical questions expressing indignation
"What do you take me for? I would never lie to you."
inseparable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
(In 'take for granted') To fail to appreciate something or someone because you assume it will always be there
"We often take clean water for granted until we're somewhere without it."
“
We cannot take the peace and stability we have built in Europe for granted.
— Angela Merkel, speech to the European Parliament, 2018
inseparable
Usage tip
Often used when someone makes a wrong assumption about identity or character. Common construction: 'What do you take me for?' (meaning 'Do you think I'm stupid?'). Also used in 'take someone for a fool' or 'take someone for a ride' (to deceive).
Words that pair with "take for"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
fool granted ride stranger idiot genius
How to conjugate "take for"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
take for
I/you/we/they
3rd person
takes for
he/she/it
Past simple
took for
yesterday
Past participle
taken for
have + pp
-ing form
taking for
continuous
Hear "take for" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "take for" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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