How to Say "they leave" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “they leave” is “dejan” — use 'dejan' when 'they leave' means they are abandoning or causing something to remain in a particular state or location..
dejan
DEH-hahn/deˈxan/
Examples
Ellos siempre dejan los platos sucios en la mesa.
They always leave the dirty dishes on the table.
Ustedes dejan la casa muy limpia después de la fiesta.
You all leave the house very clean after the party.
Mis vecinos dejan la música encendida cuando salen.
My neighbors leave the music on when they go out.
The 'ellos/ellas/ustedes' Form
This form 'dejan' is used for 'they' (ellos/ellas) or for the formal plural 'you' (ustedes). The ending -an is standard for regular -ar verbs in the present tense.
Mixing up 'dejar' and 'salir'
Mistake: “They say 'Dejan el restaurante' when they mean 'They leave the restaurant' (salir).”
Correction: Use 'dejar' when you leave *something* behind (Dejan su abrigo). Use 'salir' when you leave *a location* (Salen del restaurante).
salen
SAH-lehn/ˈsa.len/
Examples
Los empleados salen de la oficina a las cinco en punto.
The employees leave the office at five o'clock sharp.
¿A qué hora salen ustedes para la excursión?
What time are you all leaving for the excursion?
Ellas salen a bailar todos los sábados.
They go out dancing every Saturday.
The 'Go' Verb Pattern
The verb 'salir' is irregular only in the 'yo' form of the present tense ('salgo'). All other forms, including 'salen', follow the standard conjugation pattern for -ir verbs, making it easy to remember.
Always Use 'De' for Location
When talking about leaving a specific location, you must use the preposition 'de' (from): 'Salen de la casa' (They leave the house). You cannot just say 'Salen la casa'.
Leaving Something vs. Leaving a Place
Related Translations
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