rechazar
/rreh-chah-SAHR/
to reject
The person's gesture shows them rejecting an offer, illustrating 'rechazar' as saying no to something.
rechazar(verb)
to reject
?to say no to an idea, person, or proposal
to refuse
?to decline an offer or invitation
,to turn down
?common informal phrasing for declining
📝 In Action
Ella rechazó la oferta de trabajo porque el sueldo era bajo.
B1She rejected the job offer because the salary was low.
Espero que no rechacen mi solicitud de crédito.
B2I hope they don't turn down my loan application.
Rechazamos cualquier tipo de violencia.
B1We reject any type of violence.
💡 Grammar Points
The Z to C Swap
When you have a verb ending in -zar, the 'z' changes to a 'c' whenever it's followed by an 'e'. This happens in the 'yo' form of the past tense (rechacé) and all forms of the special 'wish' verb form (subjunctive).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Rechazar vs. Negar
Mistake: "Using 'negar' to decline an invitation."
Correction: Use 'rechazar'. 'Negar' means to claim something is not true (to deny), while 'rechazar' is to say no to something offered.
⭐ Usage Tips
Sounding Polite
Even though 'rechazar' is neutral, it can sound quite final. If you want to be very polite when turning someone down, you might use 'declinar' or 'sentir mucho no poder aceptar'.
The wind physically repels the umbrella, demonstrating 'rechazar' as a force pushing something away.
rechazar(verb)
to repel
?physical force pushing something away
to push back
?like an army repelling an attack
,to reject
?used when a body doesn't accept a transplant
📝 In Action
El cuerpo del paciente rechazó el nuevo riñón.
B2The patient's body rejected the new kidney.
Los imanes se rechazan cuando tienen el mismo polo.
C1Magnets repel each other when they have the same pole.
⭐ Usage Tips
Biological Context
When talking about medicine, 'rechazar' describes the immune system attacking a foreign object. It's the standard term for organ failure due to incompatibility.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: rechazar
Question 1 of 2
Which form of 'rechazar' is used for 'I rejected' (past tense)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'rechazar' always rude?
Not necessarily. It is a direct word, but whether it's rude depends on your tone. In business, it's the standard way to say an application was not successful.
Does 'rechazar' change its stem?
No, the main part of the word stays the same. The only change is the 'z' becoming a 'c' for spelling reasons when an 'e' follows it.