procrastinar
/pɾokɾastiˈnaɾ/
To procrastinate in Spanish is to procrastinar. Wiktionary also lists hacer desidia.
Meaning: put off, to delay taking action (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| procrastinar | /pɾokɾastiˈnaɾ/ |
| hacer desidia | /aθeɾ desidja/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /aseɾ desidja/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
The verb means to put off or delay taking action. You can use the technical term procrastinar, but in everyday conversation, people often use idiomatic expressions like dejar las cosas para después (to leave things for later) or the informal phrase dejar para mañana (to leave it for tomorrow). You can also say hacer desidia.
Which one should you use?
procrastinar is a more formal or technical term. For a more common, everyday way to express the same idea, you can use the phrase dejar las cosas para después.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular preterite form of procrastinar is procrastinó, which means he, she or it procrastinated.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾokɾastiˈnaɾ/
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers often pair the idea of procrastination with the verb mañana, using it as a noun to describe an indefinite future time that may never actually arrive.
- While English speakers often use 'procrastinate' to describe a habit, using hacer desidia in Spanish implies a much stronger sense of moral negligence or lack of care.
- The word procrastinar shares the same Latin root 'crastinus', meaning 'of tomorrow', which is why the phrase dejar para mañana is such a perfect idiomatic equivalent.
Examples in context
- Tatoeba es una gran manera de procrastinar.Tatoeba is a great way to procrastinate.This sentence shows how to use the verb procrastinar.Tatoeba #679797 by humbertovs, translation #679796 by Zifre
- Él suele procrastinar antes de los exámenes.He tends to procrastinate before exams.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are talking about a work project.
- SofíaTenemos que terminar este informe hoy.We have to finish this report today.
- AlejandroNo quiero procrastinar más con este trabajo.I don't want to procrastinate with this work anymore.
- SofíaMuy bien, Alejandro, empecemos ahora.Very well, Alejandro, let's start now.
- AlejandroDe acuerdo, manos a la obra.Agreed, let's get to work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “procrastinate” translations and entries procrastinar, 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.
