Inklingo

How to Say "we left" in Spanish

English → Spanish

salimos

sah-LEE-mohssaˈlimos

VerbA2General
Use 'salimos' when 'we left' means that we physically departed from a specific location, such as a party, a city, or a building.
Two small, stylized figures are walking away from a cozy house along a winding path, their backs to the viewer, receding into the distance.

Examples

Ayer salimos muy tarde de la fiesta.

Yesterday we left the party very late.

Salimos de vacaciones hace dos semanas.

We went on vacation two weeks ago.

Context is Key

Since 'salimos' means both 'we leave' and 'we left,' look for time words like 'anoche' (last night), 'la semana pasada' (last week), or 'hace un rato' (a while ago) to confirm you are talking about the past.

Mixing Preterite and Imperfect

Mistake: “Usar 'salíamos' para una acción específica y terminada: 'Salíamos a las ocho'.”

Correction: Use the simple past: 'Salimos a las ocho.' The imperfect 'salíamos' is used for repeated actions or descriptions in the past ('We used to go out').

dejamos

deh-HAH-mosdeˈxa.mos

VerbA1General
Use 'dejamos' when 'we left' means that we put or placed something somewhere, or we omitted to do something, often implying a past habit or a completed action of leaving something behind.
Two colorful figures walking away from a small, stylized house, illustrating the act of leaving a location.

Examples

Siempre dejamos una nota para el cartero.

We always leave a note for the mail carrier.

Dejamos el perro con mi hermana durante el viaje.

We left the dog with my sister during the trip. (Past Tense - Preterite)

¿Dónde dejamos los abrigos?

Where do we put the coats?

Present vs. Past

The form 'dejamos' is tricky because it means 'we leave' (Present) AND 'we left' (Simple Past). You must use context or time markers (like 'ayer' or 'siempre') to tell them apart.

Confusing 'Dejar' and 'Salir'

Mistake: “Using 'Dejamos de la casa' to mean 'We leave the house.'”

Correction: Use 'Salimos de la casa' for leaving a location. Use 'Dejamos' only if you are leaving something (an object, a person) behind.

Departing vs. Leaving Something Behind

Learners often confuse 'salimos' and 'dejamos' by using 'dejamos' when they mean they departed from a place. Remember, 'salimos' is for the act of leaving a location, while 'dejamos' is for leaving an object or omitting an action.

Related Translations

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