Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| dejar | /deˈxaɾ/ |
| abandonar | /abandoˈnaɾ/ |
When using 'ditch' to mean leaving a person, such as a romantic partner or a friend, you should use the construction dejar a alguien in a colloquial sense. If 'ditch' refers specifically to skipping an appointment or failing to show up for a meeting, the reflexive verb plantarse is often used in certain dialects.
Which one should you use?
While dejar can mean 'to ditch' in certain contexts, its primary and most common meanings are 'to leave behind' or 'to let/allow'. In contrast, abandonar is a stronger, more formal and more permanent term when expressing the act of ditching or abandoning someone or something.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Mexico, acequia is used instead of zanja to refer to a 'ditch' (the noun). For the verb 'to ditch', the reflexive verb plantarse is used in certain dialects to mean skipping an appointment.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular preterite form of dejar is dejó (he/she ditched). To use dejar in the sense of ditching a person, you must include the personal 'a' before the person, as in dejar a alguien.
How do you pronounce it?
/deˈxaɾ/
Did you know?
- The word abandonar is a loanword from French abandonner, which originally came from a Proto-Germanic root rather than Latin.
- In some Spanish dialects, dejado is used as an adjective to describe a person who is 'sloppy' or has 'given up' on their appearance.
- The verb dejar can be used to mean 'to quit' a habit, such as dejar de fumar for 'to quit smoking'.
Examples in context
- El trabajador excavó una zanja para canalizar el agua de lluvia.The worker dug a ditch to channel rainwater.
- Durante la construcción de la carretera, se excavaron varias zanjas para los cables del tendido eléctrico.Several ditches were dug for the electrical cables during the road construction.
- Salté el zanjón para evitar mojarme con el agua estancada.I jumped over the ditch to avoid getting wet with the stagnant water.
- Mi bicicleta cayó en un zanjón mientras andaba distraído.My bike fell into a ditch while I was riding distractedly.
- Él no puede dejar sus responsabilidades.He cannot abandon his responsibilities.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are discussing a lifestyle change.
- Alejandro¿Vas a dejar la universidad?Are you going to leave the university?
- ElenaNo, no quiero dejar mis estudios.No, I don't want to abandon my studies.
- AlejandroEs una decisión muy difícil, Elena.It is a very difficult decision, Elena.
- ElenaLo sé, pero es lo mejor.I know, but it is for the best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ditch” translations and entries dejar, abandonar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abandonar, dejar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
