What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb abandonar (to abandon/leave) and the noun phrase los estudios (the studies).
Which one should you use?
While abandonar los estudios is the standard way to express dropping out, dejar los estudios is a common, more informal alternative used in everyday conversation. For a more descriptive way to say one is not continuing with their studies, you can use no continuar con los estudios.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrases abandonar los estudios, dejar los estudios and no continuar con los estudios are all considered formal ways to express leaving one's studies. In contrast, salirse del colegio is an informal way to say to leave school.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that someone dropped out in the past, use the preterite tense of abandonar, such as abandonó los estudios (he/she dropped out of school).
Did you know?
- In some Latin American regions, the term deserción escolar is used in official reports to describe dropping out, treating the act of leaving school as a form of 'desertion' similar to leaving the army.
- The verb abandonar shares a common ancestor with the English word 'ban', originating from the Proto-Germanic term for 'to command' or 'to prohibit'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, estudiar is used as an intransitive verb, meaning a person can simply say estudio to mean they are a student, regardless of whether they are currently in a class.
Examples in context
- Es una decisión difícil, pero he decidido abandonar los estudios y buscar trabajo.It is a difficult decision, but I have decided to abandon my studies and look for work.
- Muchos jóvenes abandonan los estudios por razones económicas.Many young people drop out of school for economic reasons.
- Muchos jóvenes deciden abandonar los estudios por razones económicas.Many young people decide to drop out of school for economic reasons.
- Él tuvo que abandonar los estudios tras la pandemia.He had to drop out of school after the pandemic.
- No quiero abandonar los estudios antes de graduarme.I don't want to drop out of school before graduating.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a former classmate.
- MateoLucía, ¿sabes qué pasó con Juan?Lucía, do you know what happened to Juan?
- LucíaSí, Mateo, él tuvo que abandonar los estudios.Yes, Mateo, he had to drop out of school.
- MateoQué pena, él era un estudiante muy brillante.That's a shame, he was a very brilliant student.
- LucíaEs verdad, pero ahora trabaja en una empresa.True, but now he works at a company.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abandonar, los, CC BY-SA 4.0.
