despachar
“despachar” means “to serve” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to serve, to dispatch
Also: to sell
📝 In Action
La dependienta está despachando al último cliente.
A2The shop assistant is serving the last customer.
Necesitamos despachar estos paquetes antes de las cinco.
B1We need to dispatch these packages before five o'clock.
En esta farmacia despachan medicamentos con receta.
B1In this pharmacy, they sell/dispense prescription medications.
to deal with, to finish off
Also: to dismiss
📝 In Action
Despachó todos los correos en una hora.
B1He dealt with all the emails in an hour.
El jefe lo despachó sin darle explicaciones.
B2The boss dismissed him without giving any explanations.
Tenemos que despachar este asunto hoy mismo.
B2We have to settle/finish this matter this very day.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: despachar
Question 1 of 3
If you are in a bakery and the worker says '¿A quién le toca despachar?', what are they asking?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Old French word 'despescher', which meant to free or to hasten. It is the opposite of 'impedir' (to impede).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 'despachar' mean 'to fire' someone?
Yes, in some contexts it can be a more formal or abrupt way to say someone was dismissed from their job.
Is 'despachar' used for eating?
Yes, informally. You might hear 'se despachó toda la pizza,' meaning they polished off or ate the whole pizza quickly.
Is it the same as 'enviar'?
Close, but 'despachar' often implies a formal business process of sending goods out, whereas 'enviar' is the general word for 'to send'.