Correr is the most common Spanish verb for "to run" (with the meaning of "to rapidly travel by foot"), although it has a variety of other meanings as well. Many of them have to do with rapid movement or are in some way have a connection with the word "current," a distant cousin of correr, as they both come from the Latin currere, whose meanings included "to move" or "to hasten."
Some examples of correr with its most common meaning:
- Salimos corriendo porque eso se sentía como un terremoto. We ran away because it felt like an earthquake.
- Correr a un ritmo prolongado es beneficioso. Running at a prolonged pace is beneficial.
- Miles de atrevidos corrieron por las calles angostas de Pamplona. Thousands of daredevils ran through the narrow streets of Pamplona.
Some examples of using correr to refer to doing things quickly or hurriedly:
- Corrí todo el día a hacer mil cosas. I ran around all day to do a thousand things.
- Corrieron a comprar a $100 pesos lo que les costaba $140 o algo más. They rushed to buy at 100 pesos what used to cost them 140 pesos or more.
- El que corre no piensa. The one who hurries doesn't think.
- ¡Corre! ¡No quieres llegar tarde! Hurry! You don't want to be late!
Correr can be used in a variety of contexts to suggest motion, either figuratively or literally:
- La sangre corre por las arterias del corazón a los tejidos. Blood flows through the arteries from the heart to the tissues.
- Corre el tiempo para aprobar la ley en el Congreso. Time is passing for approving the law in Congress.
- Desde Jartum el río corre hacia el norte hasta El Cairo. From Khartum the river flows north toward Cairo.
- Corrió el rumor de que nuestra amiga estaba enferma. The rumor spread that our friend was sick.
- La puerta no corre con facilidad. The door doesn't open or close easily.
With riesgo, correr can mean to take on or assume a risk: Si uno no se equivoca, es porque no corre los riesgos. If one doesn't make mistakes, it's because one doesn't take on risks.
