Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| optar por no participar | /obtaɾ poɾ no paɾtiθipaɾ/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /obtaɾ poɾ no paɾtisipaɾ/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
| optar por salirse (de) | |
| optar por no recibir | /obtaɾ poɾ no ɾeθibiɾ/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /obtaɾ poɾ no ɾesibiɾ/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
The phrase 'opt out' is used to describe choosing not to participate in something. Depending on the context, several variations are used. In marketing contexts, specifically regarding communications like emails or newsletters, optar por no recibir is the most natural way to express opting out of receiving information. You might also see the phrase no recibir más información used to mean 'no longer receive information', or no deseo recibir ofertas to mean 'I don't want to receive offers'. When referring to canceling a subscription or a service, the phrase darse de baja is used.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase optar por no participar literally translates to 'to opt for not participating'.
Which one should you use?
There are distinctions between the available forms based on what you are opting out of. Use optar por no participar when the focus is on the decision not to join or take part in an activity. In contrast, use optar por salirse (de) when the focus is on the act of withdrawing from or leaving an existing group or system.
How do you pronounce it?
/obtaɾ poɾ no paɾtiθipaɾ/
Did you know?
- The word participar shares an ancient root with the English word 'capture', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *kap-, meaning 'to grasp' or 'to take'.
- The common phrase darse de baja for opting out uses the word baja, meaning 'low'. This mirrors the sign-up process, darse de alta, which uses the word for 'high'.
- While optar por no participar is a formal way to opt out, in many Spanish-speaking countries, simply saying paso is a common, informal way to opt out of a social activity or invitation.
Examples in context
- Puedo optar por no participar en la encuesta.I can opt out of the survey.
- Decidió optar por no participar en el torneo.He decided to opt out of the tournament.
- Muchos prefieren optar por no participar en actividades sociales.Many prefer to opt out of social activities.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are discussing a company event.
- ElenaAlejandro, ¿vas a ir a la cena de empresa?Alejandro, are you going to the company dinner?
- AlejandroNo, voy a optar por no participar este año.No, I am going to opt out this year.
- ElenaEs una lástima que no vengas con nosotros.It is a shame that you are not coming with us.
- AlejandroSolo necesito descansar un poco.I just need to rest a little.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “opt out” translations, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries no, optar, participar, por, recibir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
