dejar de respirar
/dexaɾ de ɾespiɾaɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'stop breathing' is translated into Spanish as dejar de respirar.
The phrase dejar de respirar is used both literally, to describe the cessation of biological respiration and figuratively, to describe holding one's breath due to suspense or fear.
Which one should you use?
While dejar de respirar is the infinitive form used to mean 'to stop breathing', you can use imperative forms like Deja de respirar or Deje de respirar to give a direct command. The form Ya no respires is also an informal way to express this idea.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that someone stopped breathing in the past, you conjugate the verb dejar in the preterite tense and keep the rest of the phrase in the infinitive, such as dejó de respirar (he/she stopped breathing). To use the phrase as an imperative command, you can conjugate dejar in the second-person singular present tense, resulting in deja de respirar.
How do you pronounce it?
/dexaɾ de ɾespiɾaɾ/
Did you know?
- The verb dejar is a distant relative of the English words 'lax' and 'laxative'. All these words share a root meaning to loosen or release.
Examples in context
- Por favor, deja de respirar ahora mismoPlease, stop breathing right now
- Deja de respirar, ¿no te das cuenta de que es peligroso?Stop breathing, don't you realize it's dangerous?
- Es peligroso dejar de respirar bajo el agua.It is dangerous to stop breathing underwater.
- El médico le dijo que no debía dejar de respirar.The doctor told him that he should not stop breathing.
- Sintió que iba a dejar de respirar por el susto.She felt like she was going to stop breathing from the fright.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are watching a scary movie together.
- Lucía¡Qué miedo! Siento que voy a dejar de respirar.How scary! I feel like I'm going to stop breathing.
- MateoTranquila, Lucía, es solo una película.Calm down, Lucía, it is just a movie.
- LucíaNo puedo evitarlo, la escena es muy intensa.I can't help it, the scene is very intense.
- MateoRespira profundo, no dejes de respirar.Breathe deeply, don't stop breathing.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, dejar, respirar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
