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abandonar

ah-bahn-doh-NAHRa.βan.doˈnaɾ

to abandon, to leave

Also: to desert
VerbA2regular ar
A single, old brown leather suitcase sits alone on a wide, empty wooden train platform, suggesting it has been left behind.
infinitiveabandonar
gerundabandonando
past Participleabandonado

📝 In Action

El perro fue abandonado en la carretera.

A2

The dog was abandoned on the highway.

Ella decidió abandonar su casa después del divorcio.

B1

She decided to leave her house after the divorce.

No podemos abandonar el proyecto a mitad de camino.

B1

We cannot abandon the project halfway through.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • abandonar la ciudad – to leave the city
  • abandonar a la familia – to abandon one's family

to give up, to quit

Also: to drop out
VerbB1regular ar
A small child sits slumped on the sand next to a half-finished, crumbling sandcastle, dropping their red bucket and shovel in defeat.
infinitiveabandonar
gerundabandonando
past Participleabandonado

📝 In Action

Nunca debes abandonar tus sueños.

B1

You should never give up on your dreams.

El corredor tuvo que abandonar la carrera por una lesión.

B2

The runner had to drop out of the race due to an injury.

Muchos estudiantes abandonan la universidad en el primer año.

B2

Many students quit university in the first year.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • abandonar un hábito – to give up a habit
  • abandonar los estudios – to drop out of studies

to neglect oneself, to let oneself go

Also: to give in (to emotion)
VerbB2regular arformal
A wilted, brown houseplant with drooping leaves sits in a small terracotta pot on a windowsill, clearly suffering from neglect.
infinitiveabandonarse
gerundabandonándose
past Participleabandonado

📝 In Action

Después de la pérdida, se abandonó por completo.

B2

After the loss, he completely neglected himself (let himself go).

No debemos abandonarnos a la desesperación.

C1

We must not give in to despair.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • descuidarse (to neglect oneself)

Antonyms

  • cuidarse (to take care of oneself)

Common Collocations

  • abandonarse a la tristeza – to give in to sadness

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedabandona
yoabandono
túabandonas
ellos/ellas/ustedesabandonan
nosotrosabandonamos
vosotrosabandonáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedabandonaba
yoabandonaba
túabandonabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesabandonaban
nosotrosabandonábamos
vosotrosabandonabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedabandonó
yoabandoné
túabandonaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesabandonaron
nosotrosabandonamos
vosotrosabandonasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedabandone
yoabandone
túabandones
ellos/ellas/ustedesabandonen
nosotrosabandonemos
vosotrosabandonéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedabandonara
yoabandonara
túabandonaras
ellos/ellas/ustedesabandonaran
nosotrosabandonáramos
vosotrosabandonarais
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "abandonar" in Spanish:

left→stopped→to abandon→to desert→to leave→to quit→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: abandonar

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'abandonar' in the sense of 'to neglect oneself'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Old French 'abandonner,' which itself came from the phrase 'a bandon' meaning 'under control' or 'at liberty.' Over time, the meaning shifted to 'letting go' or 'giving up control.'

First recorded: Medieval Spanish period (c. 13th century)

Cognates (Related words)

French: abandonnerEnglish: to abandon

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'abandonar' always negative?

Yes, 'abandonar' generally carries a strong sense of failure, desertion, or neglect. If you simply want to say 'I left my keys on the table,' use the verb 'dejar' (dejé las llaves) instead.

How do I say 'abandoned house'?

You use the past participle used as an adjective: 'una casa abandonada' (the 'a' ending matches the feminine noun 'casa').