Inklingo

How to Say "to leave" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to leave” is “dejar” — use 'dejar' when you are placing an object somewhere or leaving a person behind, not when you are departing from a location yourself..

dejar🔊A1

Use 'dejar' when you are placing an object somewhere or leaving a person behind, not when you are departing from a location yourself.

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irse🔊A1

Use 'irse' when you are departing from a place, indicating your own movement away from that location.

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ir🔊A2

Use 'ir' in its pronominal form (like 'me voy', 'te vas') to express departure from a place, often with a sense of immediacy.

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salir🔊A1

Use 'salir' specifically when leaving a defined place like a building, room, or city.

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irme🔊A1

Use 'irme' when you personally need to depart from a place.

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irnos🔊A1

Use 'irnos' when you and at least one other person need to depart from a place.

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marcharse🔊A1

Use 'marcharse' to indicate departing from a place, similar to 'irse', often with a slightly more formal or definitive tone.

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marcharme🔊A2

Use 'marcharme' when you are referring to your own departure from a place, emphasizing the act of leaving.

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partir🔊A2

Use 'partir' to indicate departure, especially for scheduled departures like trains or buses, or when leaving a location for a journey.

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abandonar🔊A2

Use 'abandonar' when leaving something or someone behind permanently, like abandoning a responsibility, a place, or a person.

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marcharte🔊A2

Use 'marcharte' when specifically telling or asking someone else ('you') to leave a place.

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English → Spanish

dejar

/de-HAR//deˈxaɾ/

VerbA1General
Use 'dejar' when you are placing an object somewhere or leaving a person behind, not when you are departing from a location yourself.
A pair of shiny silver keys resting on a wooden kitchen table, with a person's hand pulling away from them, illustrating the action of leaving an object behind.

Examples

Dejé mis llaves en la mesa de la cocina.

I left my keys on the kitchen table.

Por favor, deja los zapatos en la entrada.

Please, leave the shoes at the entrance.

Mi hermano me dejó en el aeropuerto.

My brother dropped me off at the airport.

Confusing 'dejar' and 'salir'

Mistake: “Quiero dejar la fiesta ahora. (I want to leave the party now.)”

Correction: Quiero salir de la fiesta ahora. Use 'salir' when you mean a person is leaving a place. Use 'dejar' when you mean leaving an object or person behind.

irse

/EER-seh//ˈiɾse/

Pronominal VerbA1General
Use 'irse' when you are departing from a place, indicating your own movement away from that location.
A tiny person walking away from a small house down a winding path toward the horizon, illustrating departure.

Examples

Me voy a casa ahora.

I'm leaving for home now.

Se fueron de la fiesta muy temprano.

They left the party very early.

Si no te gusta, ¡vete!

If you don't like it, leave!

What's the 'se' for? ('ir' vs. 'irse')

Think of 'ir' as 'to go' (destination is key) and 'irse' as 'to go away' or 'to leave' (departure is key). For example, 'Voy a la tienda' (I'm going to the store) vs. 'Me voy de la tienda' (I'm leaving from the store).

Where does the little pronoun go?

The pronoun (me, te, se, etc.) usually goes right before the verb: 'Me voy'. But for commands or when attached to the verb's base form, it hooks onto the end: '¡Vete!' (Leave!) or 'Necesito irme' (I need to leave).

Forgetting the 'se' part when leaving

Mistake: “Yo voy de la oficina a las cinco.”

Correction: Yo me voy de la oficina a las cinco. (I leave the office at five.) To talk about leaving a place, you need 'irse', not just 'ir'.

ir

/eer//iɾ/

Pronominal VerbA2General
Use 'ir' in its pronominal form (like 'me voy', 'te vas') to express departure from a place, often with a sense of immediacy.
A person waving goodbye while walking out of an open doorway, representing the verb 'irse' which means 'to leave'.

Examples

Ya es tarde, me voy.

It's late, I'm leaving.

¿A qué hora te fuiste de la fiesta?

What time did you leave the party?

¡Vámonos! El tren está a punto de salir.

Let's go! The train is about to leave.

What's a Pronominal Verb?

It's just a verb that needs a little extra word (me, te, se, nos, os, se) to work. For 'ir', adding this word changes the meaning from 'to go' to 'to leave'.

Forgetting the 'se'

Mistake: “'Él va de la fiesta.' (This sounds like he is going *from* the party to somewhere else).”

Correction: 'Él se va de la fiesta.' (He is leaving the party). To say someone is leaving, you need that little 'se' word.

salir

/sah-LEER//saˈliɾ/

VerbA1General
Use 'salir' specifically when leaving a defined place like a building, room, or city.
A child happily exiting a colorful house through a bright red door into a sunny garden.

Examples

Salgo de casa a las ocho de la mañana.

I leave home at eight in the morning.

¿Quieres salir a cenar esta noche?

Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?

El tren sale de la estación en cinco minutos.

The train leaves the station in five minutes.

Always Use 'de' for 'from'

When you say you're leaving from a specific place, you always need to use 'de'. For example, 'Salgo de la oficina' (I'm leaving from the office).

The Irregular 'yo' Form

Watch out for the present tense! For 'I leave,' it's not 'salo,' it's 'salgo.' This 'g' also shows up in other forms, like commands ('salga') and wishes ('espero que salgas').

Using 'Salir' vs. 'Dejar'

Mistake: “Dejo la casa a las 8.”

Correction: Salgo de la casa a las 8. Use 'salir' when a person is leaving a place. Use 'dejar' when you leave an object somewhere, like 'Dejo mis llaves en la mesa' (I leave my keys on the table).

irme

/EER-meh//ˈiɾme/

VerbA1General
Use 'irme' when you personally need to depart from a place.
A small figure walking away down a dirt path, leaving a brightly colored, cozy house behind them, illustrating the action of departure.

Examples

Tengo que irme ahora.

I have to leave now.

No quiero irme todavía.

I don't want to leave yet.

Decidí irme de la fiesta temprano.

I decided to leave the party early.

'Ir' vs. 'Irse': Going vs. Leaving

Think of 'ir' as 'to go TO a place' (destination). Think of 'irse' as 'to go FROM a place' (departure). The little 'se' part signals you're leaving. So, 'Voy al cine' means 'I'm going to the movies.' But 'Me voy del cine' means 'I'm leaving from the movies.'

What is 'irme'?

'Irme' is a combo of the base verb 'ir' (to go) and the pronoun 'me' (myself). You use this 'infinitive' form after another verb, like 'Quiero irme' (I want to leave) or 'Tengo que irme' (I have to leave).

Forgetting the 'me/te/se' Part

Mistake: “To say 'I'm leaving the party,' a learner might say: 'Yo voy de la fiesta.'”

Correction: The correct way is: 'Yo me voy de la fiesta.' To say you're leaving, you always need the little word (me, te, se, etc.) that matches who is doing the leaving.

irnos

/EER-nohs//'iɾnos/

VerbA1General
Use 'irnos' when you and at least one other person need to depart from a place.
Two stylized people are shown walking through a brightly lit doorway, leaving a building and stepping onto an outdoor path, emphasizing the act of departure.

Examples

Tenemos que irnos ya.

We have to leave now.

Es hora de irnos a casa.

It's time for us to go home.

No queremos irnos de la fiesta.

We don't want to leave the party.

Verb + 'nos' = Action for 'Us'

'Irnos' is a combo of the verb 'ir' (to go) and the little word 'nos' (us). Sticking 'nos' on the end shows that 'we' are the ones doing the leaving. It turns 'to go' into 'to leave'.

The Difference Between 'Ir' and 'Irse'

Use 'ir' when you're talking about going TO a destination ('Vamos a la playa'). Use 'irse' (which becomes 'irnos' for 'we') when you're talking about leaving FROM a place ('Nos vamos de la oficina'). It's all about departure vs. arrival.

Where to Put 'nos'

Mistake: “Incorrect: 'Queremos nos ir de la fiesta.'”

Correction: Correct: 'Queremos irnos de la fiesta.' The 'nos' can stick to the end of the basic verb form. You can also put it before the first verb: 'Nos queremos ir de la fiesta.'

marcharse

mar-CHAR-seh/maɾˈtʃaɾ.se/

VerbA1General
Use 'marcharse' to indicate departing from a place, similar to 'irse', often with a slightly more formal or definitive tone.
A small, simple figure walking down a winding path, actively moving away from a bright blue cottage, illustrating the act of departure.

Examples

Me marcho ahora, tengo que trabajar.

I'm leaving now, I have to work.

¿Cuándo se marcharon ellos de la fiesta?

When did they leave the party?

Si no te gusta el trato, puedes marcharte cuando quieras.

If you don't like the deal, you can go away whenever you want.

The 'Self' Verb

Marcharse is a reflexive verb, meaning the action (leaving) is focused on the subject (the person leaving). The little word (me, te, se, etc.) is essential and changes with who is leaving.

The Stress Mark on Commands

When you attach the pronoun to an affirmative command (like 'márchate'), you usually need a written accent (tílde) to keep the stress on the correct syllable.

Forgetting the 'se'

Mistake: “Yo marcho tarde.”

Correction: Yo me marcho tarde. (Using 'marchar' without 'se' means 'to march' or 'to function/work').

Pronoun Placement

Mistake: “Me voy a marchar.”

Correction: Voy a marcharme. (When used with another verb like 'ir a', you can attach the pronoun to the end of the infinitive or put it before the conjugated verb.)

marcharme

mar-CHAR-meh/maɾˈtʃaɾme/

VerbA2General
Use 'marcharme' when you are referring to your own departure from a place, emphasizing the act of leaving.
A simplified illustration of a person seen from the back, wearing a small backpack, actively walking away from an open doorway and stepping onto a path, signifying departure.

Examples

Necesito marcharme ahora mismo o perderé el tren.

I need to leave right now or I will miss the train.

Antes de marcharme, quiero despedirme de todos.

Before leaving, I want to say goodbye to everyone.

Si decides marcharme, avísame con tiempo.

If you decide I should go, let me know ahead of time. (Note: This is a highly specific, less common construction where 'decides' governs 'marcharme'.)

Reflexive Infinitive Structure

The word 'marcharme' is the base verb 'marchar' plus the pronoun 'me'. This means the action of leaving ('marchar') is done by and directed back at the speaker ('me').

Pronoun Placement

When using the infinitive form, the 'me' is attached to the end (marcharme). If you conjugate the verb, the 'me' moves to the front: 'Yo me marcho' (I leave).

Missing the 'Me'

Mistake: “Quiero marchar.”

Correction: Quiero marcharme. When 'marchar' means 'to leave,' it almost always needs the reflexive pronoun ('-se' or '-me'). 'Marchar' alone usually means 'to march' or 'to function.'

partir

/par-TEER//paɾˈtiɾ/

VerbA2General
Use 'partir' to indicate departure, especially for scheduled departures like trains or buses, or when leaving a location for a journey.
A small person wearing a red backpack walking away down a dirt road, turning their back on a colorful, quaint blue house.

Examples

El tren a Sevilla parte a las siete en punto.

The train to Seville leaves exactly at seven o'clock.

¿A qué hora partimos de la casa mañana?

What time are we leaving the house tomorrow?

Partieron rumbo al norte en busca de nuevas tierras.

They set off toward the north in search of new lands.

Using Prepositions

When talking about leaving a place, 'partir' is often followed by 'de' (from) or 'desde' (from/since), or 'a/para' (to/for) when stating the destination.

Confusing 'Partir' and 'Dejar'

Mistake: “Voy a dejar de aquí.”

Correction: Voy a partir de aquí. ('Dejar' means to leave an object behind or to allow someone to do something.)

abandonar

ah-bahn-doh-NAHR/a.βan.doˈnaɾ/

VerbA2General
Use 'abandonar' when leaving something or someone behind permanently, like abandoning a responsibility, a place, or a person.
A single, old brown leather suitcase sits alone on a wide, empty wooden train platform, suggesting it has been left behind.

Examples

El perro fue abandonado en la carretera.

The dog was abandoned on the highway.

Ella decidió abandonar su casa después del divorcio.

She decided to leave her house after the divorce.

No podemos abandonar el proyecto a mitad de camino.

We cannot abandon the project halfway through.

Direct Object

The thing or person being abandoned immediately follows the verb, without needing 'a' unless it's a person (the personal 'a').

Confusing 'Abandonar' and 'Dejar'

Mistake: “Usando 'Abandonar mi libro' (Abandon my book) when you mean 'Dejar mi libro' (Leave my book temporarily).”

Correction: 'Abandonar' implies permanence or neglect. Use 'dejar' for temporary or casual leaving.

marcharte

/mar-CHAR-teh//maɾˈtʃaɾte/

VerbA2General
Use 'marcharte' when specifically telling or asking someone else ('you') to leave a place.
A character with a small backpack walking away down a winding path towards the horizon.

Examples

¿A qué hora quieres marcharte?

What time do you want to leave?

No puedes marcharte sin decir adiós.

You can't leave without saying goodbye.

Siento mucho verte marcharte tan pronto.

I'm very sorry to see you leave so soon.

The 'te' at the end

In Spanish, we stick the word 'te' (which means 'you') to the end of the action word when it's the base form. It shows that you are the one performing the action on yourself.

Using 'marchar' vs 'marcharse'

While 'marchar' can mean to march like a soldier, adding the 'te' (making it 'marcharse') changes the meaning to 'leaving' or 'going away'.

Don't forget the 'te'

Mistake: “Saying 'Quieres marchar' to mean 'You want to leave'.”

Correction: Say 'Quieres marcharte'. Without the 'te', it sounds like you are asking if they want to join a military parade!

Departing vs. Setting Down

The most common confusion is between verbs of departure ('irse', 'salir', 'partir', 'marcharse') and 'dejar'. Remember, 'dejar' is for placing items or leaving people, not for when you yourself are leaving a location.

Related Translations

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