Which one should you use?
While rendirse is the standard term, you might also use the idiom tirar la toalla (to throw in the towel) or bajar los brazos (lowering your arms) to express giving up informally. For a more descriptive idiomatic approach, dejarse vencer can be used, which literally means to let oneself be defeated.
How does it change in a sentence?
Rendirse is a reflexive verb, which means it must be used with reflexive pronouns such as me, te, se, nos and os. For example, rendirme is the first-person singular form meaning 'to give up' (myself) and abandonemos is the first-person plural present subjunctive meaning 'let's give up'. In the past tense, the third-person singular preterite form is se rindió, meaning 'he/she gave up'.
How do you pronounce it?
/rendiɾse/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to use rendir when you mean to surrender. While they look similar, rendir means to yield a profit or to perform a task. To express the act of surrendering or giving up, you must include the reflexive pronoun to form rendirse.
Did you know?
- In a religious or spiritual context, rendirse is often used to describe 'surrendering' one's will to a higher power, which is viewed as a positive act of faith rather than a failure.
- The word rendirse is related to the word rendimiento, which describes the efficiency or yield of a crop or an engine, connecting 'surrendering' to the idea of 'yielding'.
- In some Latin American countries, the phrase tirar la toalla is used so frequently in daily life that it has replaced rendirse in casual conversation, even when no sports are involved.
Examples in context
- Tom se rehusó a rendirse.Tom refused to give up.This sentence shows the use of rendirse in a negative context.Tatoeba #1991947 by marcelostockle, translation #1024283 by CK
- Lo más importante es no rendirse.The most important thing is not to give up.This sentence emphasizes the importance of not using rendirse.Tatoeba #4271880 by Shishir, translation #3459828 by AlanF_US
- Es demasiado orgulloso para rendirse.He is too proud to give up.This sentence describes someone's refusal to use rendirse due to pride.Tatoeba #1119979 by Shishir, translation #293172 by CK
- No debemos rendirnos ante las dificultades.We should not give up in the face of difficulties.
- Decidieron abandonar el proyecto debido a las dificultades financieras.They decided to give up on the project due to financial difficulties.
- Decidí dejar de intentarlo después de varios fracasos.I decided to give up after several failures.
- Después de varios intentos fallidos, decidieron tirar la toalla.After several failed attempts, they decided to give up.
- No es momento de bajar los brazos, aún podemos lograrlo.It's not time to give up, we can still achieve it.
- ¡No te rindas!Don't give up!
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are studying for a difficult exam.
- MaríaEste problema de matemáticas es imposible.This math problem is impossible.
- AlejandroNo puedes rendirse ahora, María.You cannot give up now, María.
- MaríaYa he intentado resolverlo tres veces.I have already tried to solve it three times.
- AlejandroSigue intentando, tú puedes hacerlo.Keep trying, you can do it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry rendirse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
