Using the Spanish Verb Dejar

Using the Spanish Verb Dejar Like many other verbs, dejar has a basic meaning - in this case, to leave something somewhere - that has broadened over the centuries to be used under a wide variety of circumstances. Most of its meanings, however, pertain at least in a broad sense to the idea of leaving something (or someone) somewhere, placing something somewhere, or abandoning something. Dejar Meaning To Leave While to leave is one of the most common translations of dejar, it should not be confused with to leave in the sense of to leave a place, where salir is used. Thus, shes leaving tomorrow is sale maà ±ana, but I left my keys at home is dejà © las llaves en casa. Examples of dejar with its basic meaning: Dà ©jalo aquà ­. (Leave it here.) ¿Dà ³nde dejà © el coche aparcado? (Where did I park the car?)Dejarà © el libro en la mesa. (I will leave the book on the table.)Dejà © a Pablo en Chicago. (I dropped Pablo off in Chicago.) When the object of dejar is an activity or person, dejar can mean to leave, abandon or give up: Deja su carrera para irse a la polà ­tica. (He is leaving his career to go into politics.)Han fallado en sus tentativas de dejar el fumar. (They have failed in their attempts to quit smoking.)Dejà ³ a su esposa por la mujer que deseaba. (He abandoned his wife for the woman he wanted.) Dejar Meaning To Lend When an object is left with a person, dejar often means to lend. (The verb prestar can also be used with the same meaning.): Como era un buen jefe me dejaba su coche. (Since he was a good boss he would lend me his car.)Me dejà ³ su casa de vacaciones. (He let me use his vacation home.) ¿Me dejas tu telà ©fono?  (Could I borrow your phone?) Dejar Meaning To Pass On In many contexts, dejar can mean to give or to pass on: Mi madre me dejà ³ su capacidad de esperanza. (My mother passed on to me her capacity to hope.)Me dejà ³ su direccià ³n postal para escribirle. (He gave me his mailing address so I could write to him.)Cuando murià ³ me dejà ³ su panaderà ­a en su testamento. (When he died he left me his bakery in his will.)Siempre mi pap le dejaba la tarea mas difà ­cil a mi mama. (My father always passed the most difficult tasks to my mother.) Dejar Meaning To Leave Alone Sometimes, when the object of dejar is a person, it can mean to leave alone or to not bother:  ¡Dà ©jame! Tengo que estudiar. (Leave me alone! I have to study.)No nos dejaba en paz. (He did not leave us in peace.) Dejar Meaning To Allow Another common meaning of dejar is to allow or to let: No me dejaban comprar nada que no fuese reciclable. (They didnt let me buy anything that wasnt recyclable.)El faraà ³n se asustà ³ y dejà ³ salir al pueblo de Israel. (The pharaoh got scared and let the people of Israel go.) Using Dejar With an Adjective When followed by an adjective, dejar can mean to put or leave someone or something in a certain state or condition: La ley no dejà ³ satisfecho a nadie. (The law didnt satisfy anybody.)Me dejà ³ feliz, como ver un oasis. (It made me happy, like seeing an oasis.)El partido me dejà ³ rota la rodilla. (My knee got broken during the game.) Dejar Meaning To Delay or To Stop Sometimes, dejar means to postpone or delay:  ¿Por quà © no deja el viaje para maà ±ana? (Why not put off your trip until tomorrow?) The phrase dejar de usually means to stop or to give up: Hoy dejo de fumar. (Today I give up smoking.)La hepatitis A dejà ³ de ser una cosa de nià ±os. (Hepatitis A is no longer a childrens disease.)Nunca dejarà © de amarte. (Ill never stop loving you.) Using Dejar With Que Finally, dejar que usually means to wait until a certain time: Dejo que las cosas se sucedan naturalmente. (Im waiting until things happen naturally.)La madre no dejaba que los socorristas atendieran a su hija. (The mother didnt wait for the rescuers to help her daughter.)