abandonó
/ah-bahn-doh-NOH/
abandoned
The family abandonó (abandoned) their belongings when they left permanently.
abandonó(verb)
abandoned
?left permanently
,left
?deserted a place or person
deserted
?left without intending to return
📝 In Action
Él abandonó a su familia hace muchos años.
A2He abandoned his family many years ago.
La tormenta fue tan fuerte que el capitán abandonó el barco.
B1The storm was so strong that the captain abandoned the ship.
💡 Grammar Points
Action Completed in the Past
The '-ó' ending tells you the action of abandoning finished completely at a specific point in the past. It’s a single, completed event.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Preterite vs. Imperfect
Mistake: "Using 'abandonaba' (imperfect) when referring to a single, quick event."
Correction: 'Abandonó' is used for the specific moment of leaving; 'abandonaba' describes the state of being abandoned over time.
⭐ Usage Tips
Stronger than 'Dejó'
While 'dejó' also means 'left,' 'abandonó' implies a more severe, often permanent, or irresponsible act of leaving.
She abandonó (quit) her goal of running the marathon.
abandonó(verb)
quit
?gave up a habit or goal
,dropped out of
?left a course or race
stopped
?ceased doing something
📝 In Action
Ella abandonó la carrera justo antes de la meta.
B1She quit the race just before the finish line.
Después de un año, él abandonó sus estudios de medicina.
B2After a year, he dropped out of his medical studies.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with Goals
When talking about quitting a long-term goal or project, 'abandonó' is the perfect word, emphasizing the finality of the decision.
The manager abandonó (relinquished) control by handing over the key to the safe.
abandonó(verb)
relinquished
?gave up control or a position
,surrendered
?yielded a defense
forfeited
?gave up a right
📝 In Action
El ejército abandonó la fortaleza al amanecer.
B2The army relinquished the fortress at dawn.
Ante la presión, el político abandonó su candidatura.
C1Given the pressure, the politician forfeited his candidacy.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Contexts
This meaning is often used when discussing power, military actions, or legal rights.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: abandonó
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'abandonó' to mean 'quit a project'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'abandonó' the same as 'se abandonó'?
No. 'Abandonó' means 'he/she abandoned (something or someone else).' 'Se abandonó' (using the reflexive pronoun 'se') means 'he/she abandoned himself/herself'—often implying they stopped taking care of themselves, gave up hope, or 'let themselves go.'
Why does 'abandonó' have an accent mark?
The accent mark on the 'ó' is essential! It tells you that the stress falls on the last syllable, which is the pattern for most third-person singular verbs in the simple past (preterite) tense, like 'comió' (ate) or 'habló' (spoke).