desobedecer
“desobedecer” means “to disobey” in Spanish (ignoring orders or rules).
to disobey
Also: to defy
📝 In Action
El perro desobedece a su dueño a veces.
A1The dog disobeys his owner sometimes.
Es peligroso desobedecer las señales de tráfico.
A2It is dangerous to disobey traffic signs.
Los soldados se negaron a desobedecer las órdenes.
B1The soldiers refused to disobey the orders.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: desobedecer
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I disobey' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'des-' (which reverses an action) combined with 'obedescere' (the act of listening to or obeying).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is desobedecer a regular verb?
No, it is irregular because the 'c' changes to 'zc' in the 'yo' form of the present tense and in the subjunctive.
Can I use this for machines that don't work?
Usually, we use it for people or animals. For machines, it is better to say 'no funciona' (it doesn't work) or 'no responde' (it doesn't respond).
Does it take a direct or indirect object?
It is usually treated as an intransitive verb that uses the 'personal a' for people, appearing like an indirect object structure in many contexts.