despedirse de alguien
/despediɾse de alɡjen/from spelling rules
To say goodbye to someone in Spanish is despedirse de alguien.
To say a farewell to a person when leaving them.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb despedirse is constructed from the prefix des- meaning separation, the verb pedir meaning to ask or request and the reflexive suffix -se.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb is reflexive, so you must use a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) to indicate that the subject is the one performing the act of saying goodbye. Additionally, the verb despedirse requires the preposition de before the person being said goodbye to.
How do you pronounce it?
/despediɾse de alɡjen/
Did you know?
- While despedirse means 'to say goodbye', it is also the standard term used for 'firing' an employee from a job.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the act of despedirse can take a surprisingly long time because it is customary to continue chatting for several minutes after the initial goodbye.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, saying adiós can sometimes feel too permanent, as it can imply you won't see the person for a long time.
Examples in context
- Me despedí de mi madre.I said goodbye to my mother.
- Ellos se despidieron de sus amigos.They said goodbye to their friends.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are leaving a party.
- JavierYa es hora de despedirse de alguien aquí.It is time to say goodbye to someone here.
- LucíaTienes razón, vamos a buscar a María.You are right, let's look for Maria.
- JavierSolo quiero despedirme de alguien más rápidamente.I just want to say goodbye to someone else quickly.
- LucíaEstá bien, Javier, yo te espero afuera.That's fine, Javier, I'll wait for you outside.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
