despedirse
/despediɾse/from spelling rules
To bid farewell in Spanish is to say despedirse.
The verb despedirse is used when someone is leaving or departing and wants to say goodbye. If you want to specify the person or thing you are bidding farewell to, you must use the preposition de after the verb, as in despedirse de.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular preterite form (used to say he or she said goodbye in the past) is se despidió.
How do you pronounce it?
/despediɾse/
When do people say it?
When bidding farewell, you can use different expressions depending on the setting. To wish someone a good day in a formal setting, you can say Que tenga un buen día. In informal settings, such as among friends, you might say Hasta luego (see you later), Nos vemos (see you) or add a caring tone by saying Cuídate (take care).
Did you know?
- The verb despedir also means 'to release' or 'to emit', which is why the smell of a flower or the heat of a radiator is said to despedir a scent or warmth.
- While despedirse is the standard verb, the word adiós is actually a contraction of the phrase a Dios, meaning 'to God'. It originally implied 'I commend you to God'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, bidding farewell is a lengthy process called la despedida. It often involves several rounds of hugs and kisses before the person actually leaves the room.
Examples in context
- Gracias por su ayuda. Hasta luego, señor García.Thank you for your help. Goodbye, Mr. García.
- Espero volver a verlo pronto. Hasta pronto, profesora López.I hope to see you again soon. Goodbye, Professor López.
- Ha sido un placer trabajar con usted. Que tenga un buen día, señora Rodríguez.It has been a pleasure working with you. Have a good day, Mrs. Rodríguez.
- Le agradezco su tiempo y atención. Fue muy útil. Hasta luego, señor Martínez.I appreciate your time and attention. It was very helpful. Goodbye, Mr. Martínez.
- ¡Nos vemos mañana en el parque! Adiós, amigo.See you tomorrow at the park! Goodbye, friend.
- Gracias por venir a visitarme. Hasta luego, hermano.Thanks for coming to visit me. See you later, brother.
- Fue una tarde fantástica. Nos vemos, chicas.It was a fantastic afternoon. See you, girls.
- Diviértete en tu viaje. Cuídate, primo.Have fun on your trip. Take care, cousin.
- Se despidió de sus amigos.He said goodbye to his friends.
- Es hora de despedirse de la familia.It is time to bid farewell to the family.
- Ella fue a despedirse de su jefe.She went to bid farewell to her boss.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are at the train station.
- DanielYa es hora de despedirse.It is time to say goodbye now.
- MaríaSí, mi tren ya llega.Yes, my train is arriving now.
- DanielNo quiero despedirme todavía.I don't want to say goodbye yet.
- MaríaNos vemos muy pronto, Daniel.I will see you very soon, Daniel.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
