retirarse
“retirarse” means “to retire” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to retire
Also: to step down
📝 In Action
Mi abuelo se retiró a los 65 años después de trabajar 40 años en la fábrica.
B1My grandfather retired at 65 after working 40 years in the factory.
¿Cuándo planeas retirarte? Queremos hacer una gran fiesta.
B1When do you plan to retire? We want to throw a big party.
to withdraw, to retreat
Also: to pull out
📝 In Action
El equipo tuvo que retirarse del torneo debido a las lesiones.
B2The team had to withdraw from the tournament due to injuries.
Los soldados se retiraron a una posición más segura después del ataque.
B2The soldiers retreated to a safer position after the attack.
to go to bed, to turn in

📝 In Action
Señoras y señores, con su permiso, me voy a retirar que mañana madrugo.
C1Ladies and gentlemen, with your permission, I am going to go to bed as I have an early start tomorrow.
Después de la cena, el duque se retiró a sus aposentos.
C2After dinner, the duke retired to his chambers.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: retirarse
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'retirarse' in the sense of 'to go to bed'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *retirare*, formed by *re-* (meaning 'back' or 'again') and *tirare* (meaning 'to draw' or 'to pull'). The core idea is 'to pull oneself back or away.'
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'retirarse' to talk about withdrawing cash from an ATM?
No. When you are withdrawing money or an object, you must use the non-reflexive verb 'retirar' (without the 'se'). Example: 'Voy a retirar dinero' (I am going to withdraw money).
Is 'retirarse' a stem-changing verb?
No, 'retirarse' is a regular verb. The 'i' in the stem always stays the same, unlike verbs that change 'e' to 'ie' or 'o' to 'ue'.


