desistir
“desistir” means “to give up” in Spanish (abandoning an effort or goal).
to give up
Also: to desist, to waive
📝 In Action
No debes desistir de tus sueños solo porque sea difícil.
B1You shouldn't give up on your dreams just because it's hard.
Tras varias horas de lluvia, los excursionistas desistieron de subir a la cima.
B2After several hours of rain, the hikers gave up on climbing to the peak.
La empresa decidió desistir del contrato por falta de fondos.
C1The company decided to withdraw from the contract due to a lack of funds.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: desistir
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'to give up on a project'?
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👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'desistere', where 'de-' means away and 'sistere' means to stand or stop.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'desistir' the same as 'renunciar'?
They are very similar! 'Renunciar' is more common for quitting a job or a position, while 'desistir' is usually used for stopping a specific attempt, plan, or legal action.
Do I always need the word 'de' after 'desistir'?
Yes, in almost every case. If you specify what you are giving up, you must use 'de' (e.g., desistir de la oferta).
Is 'desistir' a common word?
It's moderately common. You'll hear it in news reports, business meetings, and more formal conversations, but in casual slang, people might just say 'dejarlo' (leave it).