How to Say "Take Off" in Spanish

despegar

/despeˈɡaɾ/

The Spanish verb for 'take off' is despegar.

despegar is used specifically when referring to an aircraft or vehicle lifting off from the ground. It is not used for removing clothing.

Meaning: to remove (verb)

What does it mean word for word?

Therefore, despegar literally means to un-stick or detach.

Despegar refers to an aircraft taking off. To express the act of taking off clothing or accessories, you should use quitarse.

The third-person singular preterite form (the past tense used to say 'he/she/it took off') is despegó.

/despeˈɡaɾ/

While despegar is used for aircraft, if a person is 'taking off' in the sense of leaving a place quickly, Spanish speakers often use the phrase largarse instead.
The prefix des- in despegar comes from the Latin 'dis-', which is a distant relative of the English prefix 'dis-' used in words like 'disconnect' or 'disappear'.
In Spanish, the word pegamento for 'glue' shares the same root as despegar, linking the act of an airplane taking off to the chemistry of adhesives.

Su avión despegará enseguida.
Your plane will take off right away.
This sentence uses despegar to describe an airplane taking off.
Tatoeba #5068044 by Shishir, translation #5069686 by alexcasper
Despegaremos en cinco minutos.
We will take off in a few minutes.
This sentence uses despegar to describe a group taking off.
Tatoeba #1702889 by marcelostockle, translation #32411 by CC
Despegaremos dentro de pocos minutos.
We'll take off in a few minutes.
Tatoeba #1702888 by marcelostockle, translation #3312119 by CK
El avión despegará en media hora.
The plane will take off in half an hour.
Favor de quitar los abrigos antes de entrar.
Please take off your coats before entering.
Me voy a quitar los zapatos.
I'm going to take off my shoes.
15 more sentences on Tatoeba

María and Mateo are watching planes at an airport.

Sources

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