deja de mirar
/dexa de miɾaɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'stop staring' is translated into Spanish as deja de mirar.
A command used to tell someone to stop looking at someone or something for a long time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of deja (leave/stop), de (of) and mirar (to look).
Which one should you use?
You may also encounter para de mirar or deja de estar mirando in informal settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
To tell a group of people to stop staring, use the plural form dejen (for Latin America) or dejad (for Spain).
How does it change in a sentence?
Using deje instead of deja changes the command from the informal tú to the formal usted. To specify who is being stared at, you attach an object pronoun to the end of the infinitive mirar, such as -me (me), -te (you) or -le (him/her).
Did you know?
- The word mirar is related to the English word 'miracle'. Both stem from the Latin root for wondering at something extraordinary.
- In many Spanish-speaking-cultures, staring is often accompanied by the phrase ¿Qué miras?, which literally translates to 'What are you looking at?' but functions as a sharp rhetorical challenge.
- Spanish distinguishes between active intent and passive perception. While mirar is used for the active choice to stare, the verb ver is used for the passive physical ability to see.
Examples in context
- Deja de mirarme así.Stop staring at me like that.This sentence shows how to use deja de mirar with an object pronoun.Tatoeba #554952 by Shishir, translation #41448 by Swift
- ¡Deja de mirarle las tetas!Stop staring at her breasts!Tatoeba #1641900 by Shishir, translation #1638306 by Spamster
- Deja de mirarme.Stop staring.This sentence shows the basic way to use deja de mirar.Tatoeba #1946033 by marcelostockle, translation #1943890 by Spamster
- Por favor, deje de mirar al jefe durante la reunión.Please stop staring at the boss during the meeting.
- Le agradecería que dejara de mirarme así.I would appreciate it if you stopped staring at me like that.
- Oye, deja de mirar a esa chica.Hey, stop staring at that girl.
- Para de mirarme, me pones incómodo/a.Stop staring at me, it makes me uncomfortable.
Example conversation
Lucía is watching a street performer in the park and Javier notices.
- JavierDeja de mirar tanto al artista.Stop staring so much at the artist.
- LucíaEs que es muy impresionante.It's just that he is very impressive.
- JavierParece que lo estás estudiando.It looks like you are studying him.
- LucíaVale, dejaré de mirar.Okay, I will stop staring.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
