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desconectar

des-koh-nek-TAR/desko-nekˈtaɾ/

“desconectar” means “to unplug” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to unplug, to disconnect

Also: to cut off
VerbA2regular ar
A hand pulling a white power cord out of a wall socket.
gerunddesconectando
past Participledesconectado
infinitivedesconectar

📝 In Action

Por favor, desconecta la cafetera antes de salir.

A2

Please, unplug the coffee maker before leaving.

El técnico tuvo que desconectar los cables de la red.

B1

The technician had to disconnect the network cables.

Si no pagas la factura, te van a desconectar la luz.

B2

If you don't pay the bill, they are going to cut off your electricity.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • desenchufar (to unplug a cord)
  • separar (to separate)

Antonyms

  • conectar (to connect)
  • enchufar (to plug in)

Common Collocations

  • desconectar un cable – to disconnect a cable
  • desconectar la batería – to disconnect the battery

to switch off, to unwind

Also: to get away from it all, to zone out
VerbB1regular ar
A person resting peacefully in a hammock under a tree.
gerunddesconectando
past Participledesconectado
infinitivedesconectar

📝 In Action

Necesito un fin de semana en la playa para desconectar.

B1

I need a weekend at the beach to switch off.

Es difícil desconectar del trabajo cuando tienes el móvil cerca.

B1

It's hard to unwind from work when you have your phone nearby.

Perdona, me quedé pensando en mis cosas y desconecté un momento.

B2

Sorry, I was thinking about my own things and zoned out for a moment.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • relajarse (to relax)
  • distraerse (to distract oneself)

Antonyms

  • agobiarse (to get overwhelmed)
  • concentrarse (to concentrate)

Common Collocations

  • desconectar del mundo – to switch off from the world
  • desconectar de la rutina – to escape the routine
  • aprender a desconectar – to learn how to switch off

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdesconectaran
yodesconectara
túdesconectaras
vosotrosdesconectarais
nosotrosdesconectáramos
él/ella/usteddesconectara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdesconecten
yodesconecte
túdesconectes
vosotrosdesconectéis
nosotrosdesconectemos
él/ella/usteddesconecte

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesdesconectaron
yodesconecté
túdesconectaste
vosotrosdesconectasteis
nosotrosdesconectamos
él/ella/usteddesconectó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdesconectaban
yodesconectaba
túdesconectabas
vosotrosdesconectabais
nosotrosdesconectábamos
él/ella/usteddesconectaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdesconectan
yodesconecto
túdesconectas
vosotrosdesconectáis
nosotrosdesconectamos
él/ella/usteddesconecta
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "desconectar" in Spanish:

to unplug→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: desconectar

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence refers to mental relaxation?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
conexión(connection) — Noun
conectar(to connect) — Verb
desconexión(disconnection) — Noun
conectado(connected) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Formed by adding the prefix 'des-' (which means to undo or reverse) to the verb 'conectar' (from Latin 'conectere', meaning to bind or tie together).

First recorded: 19th century (technological usage)

Cognates (Related words)

English: disconnectFrench: déconnecter

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'desenchufar' and 'desconectar'?

'Desenchufar' is specifically for pulling a physical plug out of a wall socket. 'Desconectar' is broader; you can disconnect a call, a Wi-Fi signal, or your mind from work.

Can I use 'desconectar' to mean I lost focus in class?

Yes! It is very common to say 'desconecté' when you stopped paying attention to someone speaking because you were bored or tired.

Is 'desconectar' a regular verb?

Yes, it follows the standard pattern for all '-ar' verbs in every tense.