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How to Say "to detach" in Spanish

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desprender

des-pren-DERdespɾenˈdeɾ

verbB1general
Use 'desprender' when you are actively removing or taking off something that is attached, like a label from clothing or a part from a machine.
A hand pulling a bright orange autumn leaf away from a green branch.

Examples

Desprendí la etiqueta de mi camiseta nueva.

I took the tag off my new t-shirt.

Es difícil desprender el pegamento viejo de la mesa.

It is hard to remove the old glue from the table.

Tienes que desprender el cable con mucho cuidado para no romperlo.

You have to detach the cable very carefully so you don't break it.

Using 'Desprender' vs 'Quitar'

Use 'desprender' when something was stuck or joined and you are separating it. 'Quitar' is more general for just 'taking something away.'

Action Flow

This verb describes an action you do to an object. If the object falls off by itself, you'll need the reflexive version 'se desprende'.

Missing the 'se'

Mistake: “La pintura desprende.”

Correction: La pintura se desprende. (Use 'se' when something falls off on its own.)

despegar

des-peh-GAHRdespeˈɣaɾ

verbA2general
Use 'despegar' when you are separating two things that are stuck together, often implying a slight difficulty or the need for care, such as peeling off a sticker.
A hand carefully peeling a colorful sticker off of a white refrigerator door.

Examples

Ten cuidado al despegar la etiqueta del regalo.

Be careful when peeling the label off the gift.

No puedo despegar estos dos papeles porque tienen pegamento.

I can't unstick these two papers because they have glue on them.

Spelling Change Alert

In the past tense (Preterite) 'yo' form and all special 'wish' forms (Subjunctive), the 'g' changes to 'gu' to keep the hard 'G' sound before the letter 'e'.

Missing the 'u'

Mistake: “yo despegé”

Correction: yo despegué

Choosing between 'desprender' and 'despegar'

Learners often confuse 'desprender' and 'despegar'. Remember that 'desprender' is generally for actively removing an item from another, while 'despegar' implies separating things that are stuck together, like peeling something off a surface.

Related Translations

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