desecho

deh-SEH-choh/deˈsetʃo/

“desecho” means “waste” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

waste🔊B1Noun

unwanted materials or byproducts

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I discard🔊B2Verb

getting rid of something

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waste

Also: rubbish, scrap

NounmB1

A pile of discarded items like crumpled paper and a broken toy.

📝 In Action

No tires desechos al suelo.

Don't throw waste on the ground.

Muchos desechos plásticos terminan en el mar.

Many plastic wastes end up in the sea.

La fábrica produce muchos desechos químicos.

The factory produces a lot of chemical waste.

Word Connections

Synonyms

residuo (residue/waste)
basura (trash)

Antonyms

recurso (resource)
producto (product)

Common Collocations

desechos orgánicos – organic waste
desechos industriales – industrial waste
bolsa de desecho – waste bag

I discard, I reject

Also: I throw away

VerbB2regular ar

A person dropping a piece of trash into a bin.

gerunddesechando

past Participledesechado

infinitivedesechar

📝 In Action

Desecho esta idea porque es muy cara.

I discard this idea because it is very expensive.

Desecho la ropa vieja cada año.

I throw away old clothes every year.

Inmediatamente desecho cualquier pensamiento negativo.

I immediately reject any negative thoughts.

Word Connections

Synonyms

descartar (to discard)
tirar (to throw away)

Antonyms

guardar (to keep)
aceptar (to accept)

Common Collocations

desechar una oferta – to reject an offer
desechar la posibilidad – to rule out the possibility

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdesecharan

yodesechara

túdesecharas

vosotrosdesecharais

nosotrosdesecháramos

él/ella/usteddesechara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdesechen

yodeseche

túdeseches

vosotrosdesechéis

nosotrosdesechemos

él/ella/usteddeseche

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesdesecharon

yodeseché

túdesechaste

vosotrosdesechasteis

nosotrosdesechamos

él/ella/usteddesechó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdesechaban

yodesechaba

túdesechabas

vosotrosdesechabais

nosotrosdesechábamos

él/ella/usteddesechaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdesechan

yodesecho

túdesechas

vosotrosdesecháis

nosotrosdesechamos

él/ella/usteddesecha

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Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "desecho" in Spanish:

i discard→i reject→rubbish→scrap→waste→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: desecho

Question 1 of 3

Which of these means 'I discard the idea'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

desechar(to discard) — Verb

desechable(disposable) — Adjective

desechado(discarded) — Adjective

🎵 Rhymes▼

pecho techo hecho

📚 Etymology▼

From the Spanish verb 'desechar', which comes from the combination of 'des-' (meaning away or undoing) and 'echar' (to throw). It literally means 'to throw away'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: desecho

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'desecho' and 'deshecho'?

They sound exactly the same! However, 'desecho' (no H) means waste or 'I discard'. 'Deshecho' (with an H) is the past version of 'deshacer' and means 'undone' or 'destroyed'.

Is 'desecho' common in everyday conversation?

Yes, especially in the context of recycling or when being slightly more precise than just saying 'basura' (trash).

Can I use 'desecho' to mean I'm breaking up with someone?

Not really. Use 'dejar' or 'romper'. 'Desechar' is more about discarding an object or an idea, not a relationship.