dejara
/deh-HAH-ra/
allowed
Depicting the concept of being 'allowed' or given permission.
dejara(verb)
allowed
?past wish/hypothetical action
,would allow
?conditional statement
,let
?past influence
permitted
?formal allowance
📝 In Action
Mi madre quería que yo dejara de comer dulces.
B1My mother wanted me to stop eating sweets.
Si el jefe me dejara ir temprano, terminaría el informe en casa.
B2If the boss would let me leave early, I would finish the report at home.
Era importante que usted dejara su opinión por escrito.
B1It was important that you leave your opinion in writing.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Hypothetical Past' Mood
This form ('dejara') is the Imperfect Subjunctive. It's used when talking about past wishes, doubts, or hypothetical situations that didn't happen, often after verbs of desire (querer), emotion, or necessity (era necesario que).
Two Forms for the Same Tense
Spanish has two standard forms for this tense: 'dejara' and 'dejase'. Both mean exactly the same thing, but 'dejara' is much more common in daily speech across most of Latin America and Spain.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing Conditional and Subjunctive
Mistake: "Si me dejaría, iría. (Incorrect)"
Correction: Si me dejara, iría. (Correct). Remember, 'si' (if) clauses about unreal or hypothetical events in the past or present usually need 'dejara'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with 'Si'
The most common pattern is 'Si + dejara + verb in conditional tense.' This sets up a hypothetical situation: 'If he allowed (dejara), then this would happen (iría).'
Illustrating the idea of something being 'left behind' or abandoned.
dejara(verb)
left behind
?past wish/hypothetical action of abandoning something
,quit
?referring to a job or habit
deposited
?leaving an object somewhere
📝 In Action
Esperaba que Mario dejara ese mal hábito de fumar.
B2I hoped Mario would quit that bad habit of smoking.
Si usted dejara la llave en la caja, no tendríamos problemas.
B1If you were to leave the key in the box, we wouldn't have problems.
💡 Grammar Points
Dejar de + Infinitive
When 'dejara' is followed by 'de' and another verb (like 'dejara de fumar'), it always means 'to stop doing something' or 'to quit'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: dejara
Question 1 of 2
Which of these sentences correctly uses 'dejara' to express a hypothetical past condition?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'dejara' the same as 'dejase'?
Yes, 'dejara' and 'dejase' are two forms of the exact same verb tense: the Imperfect Subjunctive. They are completely interchangeable, though 'dejara' is more commonly heard in everyday speech.
Who is the subject when using 'dejara'?
'Dejara' can be used with three subjects: 'yo' (I), 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or 'usted' (formal you). The context of the sentence usually tells you who is performing the action.