How to Say "to dismiss" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to dismiss” is “despedir” — use 'despedir' when referring to the act of terminating someone's employment or formally ending a legal proceeding..
English → Spanish
despedir
/des-peh-DEER//des.peˈðiɾ/
verbB2general
Use 'despedir' when referring to the act of terminating someone's employment or formally ending a legal proceeding.
Examples
Despidieron a Juan por llegar tarde todos los días.
They fired Juan for being late every day.
El jefe me dijo que si no mejoro, me despide.
The boss told me that if I don't improve, he will fire me.
Stem-Changing Verb
In many forms (like 'yo despido'), the 'e' in the stem changes to 'i'. This is a common pattern for 'ir' verbs like 'pedir' (to ask) and 'servir' (to serve).
cesar
verbB1formal
Use 'cesar' to mean 'to cease' or 'to stop' an action or a state, often used in more formal or literary contexts, and not typically for firing people.
Examples
La lluvia cesó justo antes de que empezara el partido.
The rain ceased just before the match began.
Job Termination vs. Ceasing Activity
Learners often confuse 'despedir' and 'cesar' by using 'cesar' to talk about firing someone. Remember, 'despedir' is for ending employment or a case, while 'cesar' means to stop or cease an action or state.
Related Translations
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