desertar
“desertar” means “to desert” in Spanish (leaving a military post or duty without permission).
to desert
Also: to defect, to quit
📝 In Action
El soldado decidió desertar a mitad de la noche.
B2The soldier decided to desert in the middle of the night.
Muchos científicos desertaron de su país para trabajar en el extranjero.
C1Many scientists defected from their country to work abroad.
No es fácil desertar de una organización tan poderosa.
B2It is not easy to quit such a powerful organization.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: desertar
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is the correct way to say 'I desert' in the present tense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'desertare', which originally meant 'to leave a place empty' or 'to abandon'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'desertar' related to the word for a sandy desert?
Yes! Both come from the Latin 'desertus', meaning abandoned. A desert is literally an 'abandoned place' where no one lives.
Can I use 'desertar' for quitting my job?
Only if you want to sound very dramatic or formal. Usually, 'renunciar' (to resign) is much more natural for a job.
Is the conjugation 'desierto' also the word for a desert?
Yes, they are spelled exactly the same! You can tell them apart by the context: 'Yo desierto' (I desert) vs 'El desierto' (The desert).