dejarse llevar
/dexaɾse ʝebaɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "go with the flow" is translated into Spanish as dejarse llevar.
This phrase is used to describe acting as others are acting. It carries a dual sense: it can be positive, implying that a person is being spontaneous or it can imply a slightly more passive attitude of not resisting a situation or the decisions made by others.
Meaning: to act as others are acting (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of dejarse (to let oneself) and llevar (to carry or lead), literally meaning "to let oneself be carried away".
How does it change in a sentence?
Because this is a reflexive construction, you must change the reflexive pronoun to match the subject of the sentence. For example, use me dejo llevar for "I go with the flow", te dejas llevar for "you go with the flow" and se deja llevar for "he/she goes with the flow".
How do you pronounce it?
/dexaɾse ʝebaɾ/
Did you know?
- In romantic contexts, dejarse llevar is frequently used to describe the moment someone stops resisting an attraction and allows a relationship to begin.
- The verb llevar in dejarse llevar shares a root with the English word 'levitate', both coming from the Latin 'levare' meaning 'to lift'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, dejarse llevar is used in the context of dancing, specifically when a person stops thinking about the steps and moves instinctively to the music.
Examples in context
- No te preocupes por los planes, solo déjate llevar.Don't worry about the plans, just go with the flow.
- Es mejor dejarse llevar por la situación.It is better to go with the flow of the situation.
- A veces solo hay que dejarse llevar.Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
- Ella prefiere dejarse llevar y no planear nada.She prefers to go with the flow and not plan anything.
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are deciding what to do on their vacation.
- MateoSofía, ¿qué quieres hacer mañana?Sofía, what do you want to do tomorrow?
- SofíaNo lo sé, prefiero dejarse llevar.I don't know, I prefer to go with the flow.
- MateoEstá bien, busquemos algo divertido entonces.All right, let's look for something fun then.
- SofíaMe parece perfecto, Mateo.That sounds perfect, Mateo.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries llevar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
