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dejaba

deh-HAH-bah/ðeˈxa.βa/

used to leave, was leaving

Also: was abandoning
VerbA1regular ar
A storybook illustration of a child walking away from a red ball placed on a stone bench, depicting the habitual action of leaving an item.
infinitivedejar
gerunddejando
past Participledejado

📝 In Action

Yo siempre dejaba mi mochila junto a la puerta.

A1

I always used to leave my backpack next to the door.

Él nunca me dejaba mensajes de voz.

A2

He never used to leave me voice messages.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • abandonaba (used to abandon)
  • olvidaba (used to forget)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • dejaba la luz encendida – used to leave the light on

used to allow, was letting

VerbA2regular ar
A storybook image of an adult holding open a garden gate, allowing a small dog to run through, illustrating the concept of past permission or 'used to allow.'
infinitivedejar
gerunddejando
past Participledejado

📝 In Action

Mi madre nunca me dejaba ir a fiestas.

A2

My mother never used to let me go to parties.

La ley dejaba que los ciudadanos votaran a los 18 años.

B1

The law allowed citizens to vote at 18 years old.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • permitía (used to permit)
  • consentía (used to consent)

Antonyms

  • prohibía (used to prohibit)

Common Collocations

  • dejaba pasar – used to let pass/go through

used to stop, was quitting

VerbB1regular ar
A colorful illustration showing a gardener putting a shovel away on a rack inside a shed, symbolizing the action of stopping work.
infinitivedejar
gerunddejando
past Participledejado

📝 In Action

Cuando era niño, dejaba de comer dulces por una semana.

B1

When I was a child, I used to stop eating sweets for one week (as a habit).

Ella dejaba de hablar cada vez que entraba el director.

B1

She used to stop talking every time the director entered.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cesaba (used to cease)
  • paraba (used to stop)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • dejaba de respirar – used to stop breathing

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/usteddeja
yodejo
túdejas
ellos/ellas/ustedesdejan
nosotrosdejamos
vosotrosdejáis

imperfect

él/ella/usteddejaba
yodejaba
túdejabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesdejaban
nosotrosdejábamos
vosotrosdejabais

preterite

él/ella/usteddejó
yodejé
túdejaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesdejaron
nosotrosdejamos
vosotrosdejasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/usteddeje
yodeje
túdejes
ellos/ellas/ustedesdejen
nosotrosdejemos
vosotrosdejéis

imperfect

él/ella/usteddejara
yodejara
túdejaras
ellos/ellas/ustedesdejaran
nosotrosdejáramos
vosotrosdejarais
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "dejaba" in Spanish:

was abandoning→was leaving→was letting→was quitting→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: dejaba

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'dejaba' to mean 'used to allow'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
dejar(to leave/to let) — Infinitive Verb
dejada(abandonment, or a drop shot (in tennis)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Vulgar Latin verb *laxāre*, meaning 'to loosen' or 'to relax,' which evolved into the modern Spanish meaning of 'to let go' or 'to leave.'

First recorded: 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: deixarFrench: laisser

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'dejaba' and 'dejó'?

'Dejaba' (imperfect) describes a continuous or repeated action in the past ('He used to leave'). 'Dejó' (preterite) describes a single, finished action that happened at a specific time ('He left the keys yesterday').

How do I know if 'dejaba' means 'to stop' or 'to allow'?

It's easy! If you see the little word 'de' immediately after 'dejaba' (e.g., 'dejaba de comer'), it means 'to stop.' If 'de' is missing (e.g., 'dejaba comer'), it means 'to allow.'