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How to Say "to quit" in Spanish

English → Spanish

dejar

/de-HAR//deˈxaɾ/

verbB1general
Use 'dejar' when you are stopping a habit or an activity you used to do regularly.
A street scene where heavy rain has just stopped. A rainbow appears over the wet pavement, and the sun breaks through the clouds, illustrating the cessation of an action.

Examples

Voy a dejar de fumar el próximo mes.

I'm going to stop smoking next month.

¡Deja de quejarte todo el tiempo!

Stop complaining all the time!

Dejó de llover hace una hora.

It stopped raining an hour ago.

The 'dejar de + action' pattern

To talk about stopping an activity, you always need the little word 'de' after 'dejar'. The recipe is: 'dejar de' + the action verb in its original '-ar', '-er', or '-ir' form. 'Dejo de trabajar' (I stop working).

Forgetting 'de'

Mistake: “Quiero dejar fumar.”

Correction: Quiero dejar de fumar. When 'dejar' means 'to stop' or 'to quit' an action, it almost always needs 'de' before the next verb.

abandonar

ah-bahn-doh-NAHR/a.βan.doˈnaɾ/

verbB1general
Use 'abandonar' when you are leaving behind or giving up on something significant, like a job, a project, or a long-term goal.
A small child sits slumped on the sand next to a half-finished, crumbling sandcastle, dropping their red bucket and shovel in defeat.

Examples

Nunca debes abandonar tus sueños.

You should never give up on your dreams.

El corredor tuvo que abandonar la carrera por una lesión.

The runner had to drop out of the race due to an injury.

Muchos estudiantes abandonan la universidad en el primer año.

Many students quit university in the first year.

Preposition Use

When 'abandonar' means 'to give up on' something abstract, it usually takes a direct object, unlike English which often uses 'on'.

parar

/pa-RAR//paˈɾaɾ/

verbA1general
Use 'parar' with 'de' + infinitive or noun to indicate stopping an action, similar to 'stop' or 'cease'. It's common for everyday actions.
A bright red toy train sitting motionless on a wooden track, depicting the cessation of movement.

Examples

Vamos a parar de trabajar ahora.

We are going to stop working now.

El autobús para en esta esquina.

The bus stops on this corner.

¡Para! Hay un semáforo en rojo.

Stop! There's a red light.

Tienes que parar de hacer tanto ruido.

You have to stop making so much noise.

Stopping an Action

To say you 'stop doing something', use the structure 'parar de' + the action verb. For example, 'Paré de comer' means 'I stopped eating'.

Stopping Yourself vs. Stopping Something Else

Mistake: “'Yo paro el coche' vs. 'Yo me paro'”

Correction: 'Parar' stops an external object ('I stop the car'). 'Pararse' stops yourself ('I stop').

dejarse

verbB1general
Use 'dejarse' when you are allowing yourself to be influenced or carried away by something, implying a lack of control.

Examples

No quiero dejarme llevar por la pereza.

I don't want to let myself be carried away by laziness.

Confusing 'dejar' and 'parar'

Learners often confuse 'dejar de' and 'parar de' as they both mean to stop an action. While interchangeable in many contexts like 'stop smoking,' 'dejar de' is more common for habits, and 'parar de' can sometimes imply a temporary halt.

Related Translations

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