me despidieron
/me despidjeɾon/from spelling rules
To say "I got fired" in Spanish, you say me despidieron.
This phrase is used to communicate that an employer has terminated your employment.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me despidieron is literally "they fired me". It uses the third-person plural to refer to an unspecified group of people, such as employers or a company, who performed the action.
Which one should you use?
While English speakers often use the passive voice "I was fired", Spanish speakers more commonly use the third-person plural me despidieron to express this idea.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In various Latin American countries, the informal expression Me botaron is commonly used to mean "I got fired" or "They let me go".
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb despedir is conjugated in the preterite tense to indicate that the firing was a completed action in the past.
How do you pronounce it?
/me despidjeɾon/
Did you know?
- The verb despedir is a contronym, meaning it can function as its own opposite. It is used both to terminate someone's employment and to say goodbye to someone when they leave a social gathering.
- If you were fired specifically for a cause or due to misconduct, you might use the phrase me echaron. This is closely related to the verb used for 'casting' or 'throwing' objects.
- In Spain, if your termination was handled unfairly, you would refer to it using the specific legal term despido improcedente.
Examples in context
- Me despidieron.I got fired.This sentence is useful for stating the fact that you were fired.Tatoeba #1321944 by Shishir, translation #5828942 by CK
- Me despidieron en octubre.I got fired in October.This sentence is useful for specifying the month in which you were fired.Tatoeba #13039597 by mexicanhere, translation #12341699 by CK
- Me despidieron de mi trabajo ayer.I got fired from my job yesterday.
- Fui despedido(a) después de trabajar allí por mucho tiempo.I was fired after working there for a long time.
- Me echaron del equipo por no cumplir con mis responsabilidades.They kicked me out of the team for not fulfilling my responsibilities.
- Me despidieron de la empresa.I got fired from the company.
Example conversation
Alejandro tells María about his job loss at a cafe.
- AlejandroNo tengo trabajo porque me despidieron.I don't have a job because I got fired.
- MaríaLo siento mucho, Alejandro.I am very sorry, Alejandro.
- AlejandroGracias, María, pero estoy bien.Thanks, María, but I am okay.
- MaríaÁnimo, seguro encontrarás algo mejor.Cheer up, I am sure you will find something better.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
