despreciar
“despreciar” means “to look down on” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to look down on, to despise
Also: to scorn
📝 In Action
No debes despreciar a nadie por su apariencia.
A2You shouldn't look down on anyone because of their appearance.
Él despreciaba las opiniones de los demás.
B1He used to look down on others' opinions.
Es triste ver cómo algunos desprecian el trabajo manual.
B2It's sad to see how some despise manual labor.
to reject, to disregard
📝 In Action
No puedes despreciar una oferta de trabajo tan buena.
B1You can't turn down such a good job offer.
Despreciaron el peligro y cruzaron el bosque de noche.
C1They disregarded the danger and crossed the forest at night.
Ella despreció mi regalo sin siquiera abrirlo.
B2She rejected my gift without even opening it.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: despreciar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses the personal 'a' with 'despreciar'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'despectare', a more intense version of 'despicere' (to look down), which combines 'de-' (down) and 'specere' (to look). It is also related to the word 'precio' (price), literally meaning to 'take the price/value away' from something.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'despreciar' the same as 'odiar'?
Not exactly. 'Odiar' means to hate (a strong negative emotion). 'Despreciar' is more about looking down on someone or thinking they are worth nothing. You can despise someone without actively hating them.
Is 'despreciar' a very rude word?
It is a strong word, but not 'bad language'. It describes a negative attitude, so using it about your own feelings can sound quite harsh.
Can I use 'despreciar' for things instead of people?
Yes! You can 'despreciar' an object, a gift, or an idea if you think it has no value.