despegar
/despeˈɡaɾ/
The English phrase 'blast off' is translated into Spanish as despegar.
despegar is used to describe the action of leaving the ground and flying upward, typically used for a rocket or spacecraft.
Which one should you use?
While despegar is used for rockets blasting off, it is also the standard term for an airplane taking off.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular preterite form of despegar is despegó (he/she/it blasted off), and the gerund form is despegando (blasting off).
How do you pronounce it?
/despeˈɡaɾ/
Did you know?
- The word despegar literally means 'to unstick' or 'to unglue' something. It is formed by the prefix des-, meaning 'un-', and the verb pegar, which means 'to stick' or 'to glue'.
- The verb pegar, the root of this phrase, is also a very common way to say 'to hit' or 'to strike' someone in many Spanish dialects.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you want to describe the literal 'blast' or the roar of the engines during a launch, you would use the word estruendo rather than a form of despegar.
Examples in context
- La nave espacial se prepara para despegar.The spaceship is getting ready to blast off.
- El cohete despegará en cinco minutos.The rocket will blast off in five minutes.
- El cohete va a despegar pronto.The rocket is going to blast off soon.
- Espera a que el transbordador pueda despegar.Wait for the shuttle to be able to blast off.
- Todo está listo para despegar.Everything is ready to blast off.
Example conversation
Two people are watching a rocket launch on television.
- Sofía¡Mira, Daniel! Ya va a despegar.Look, Daniel! It's about to blast off.
- DanielSí, Sofía, es muy emocionante.Yes, Sofía, it is very exciting.
- SofíaLa cuenta regresiva terminó.The countdown has ended.
- Daniel¡Increíble! Por fin logró despegar.Incredible! It finally managed to blast off.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry despegar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries despegar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
