When an aircraft despega, it means it's taking off. This is a common and practical verb to know if you're talking about travel or aviation. You might hear it used for planes, helicopters, or even rockets. It literally means to 'unstick' or 'unglue' from the ground. So, if you hear that a flight is despegando, you know it's about to leave.
§ "Despegar": Aircraft taking off
You're learning Spanish, and you've come across the verb "despegar." This is a great word to know, especially if you ever talk about travel or aviation. Let's break down what it means and how it's used.
- Spanish Word
- Despegar (verb)
- CEFR Level
- B1
- Definition
- Of an aircraft, to lift off the ground and begin to fly.
Think of "despegar" as the specific action a plane or helicopter takes when it leaves the runway or ground. It's not just about rising, but about starting flight.
El avión despegó a tiempo. (The plane took off on time.)
Necesitamos despegar antes de que empiece la tormenta. (We need to take off before the storm starts.)
El helicóptero está listo para despegar. (The helicopter is ready to take off.)
§ Similar words and when to use them
While "despegar" is specific to aircraft, there are other Spanish verbs that might translate to "to take off" in English, depending on the context. It's important to know the differences to use the correct word.
- Levantar / Levantarse: This is a general verb for "to lift" or "to get up." You use it for people getting up from a chair, or lifting an object. It doesn't imply starting flight.
Me tengo que levantar temprano mañana. (I have to get up early tomorrow.)
Ella levantó la caja. (She lifted the box.)
- Quitarse: This verb means "to take off" clothing or accessories. It's reflexive, meaning the action is performed on oneself.
Necesito quitarme los zapatos. (I need to take off my shoes.)
Se quitó el sombrero. (He took off his hat.)
- Salir: This verb means "to leave" or "to go out." While a plane 'leaves' the ground, "salir" doesn't capture the act of becoming airborne. You'd use "salir" for a person leaving a place, or a train leaving a station.
Voy a salir de casa. (I'm going to leave home.)
El tren sale a las diez. (The train leaves at ten.)
§ Key takeaway for "despegar"
When you're talking about an aircraft—a plane, helicopter, or even a rocket—lifting off the ground to begin flight, "despegar" is the word you need. Don't use "levantar" or "quitarse" in this context. While other forms of "taking off" exist in English, for Spanish aviation, stick with "despegar." This will make your Spanish sound much more natural and precise. Keep practicing these distinctions, and you'll be speaking like a pro in no time!
Beispiele nach Niveau
El avión despegó a tiempo a pesar del retraso inicial.
The plane took off on time despite the initial delay.
Esperamos en la pista a que el siguiente vuelo despegara.
We waited on the runway for the next flight to take off.
Cuando el helicóptero despegó, sentimos una fuerte ráfaga de viento.
When the helicopter took off, we felt a strong gust of wind.
La tripulación anunció que estábamos a punto de despegar.
The crew announced that we were about to take off.
Es emocionante ver cómo un cohete despega hacia el espacio.
It's exciting to see a rocket take off into space.
El piloto tuvo que abortar el despegue debido a un problema técnico.
The pilot had to abort the takeoff due to a technical problem.
Después de un largo taxi, finalmente comenzamos a despegar.
After a long taxi, we finally started to take off.
El ruido de los motores al despegar era ensordecedor.
The noise of the engines taking off was deafening.
Teste dich selbst 36 Fragen
El avión va a ___ en diez minutos. (The plane is going to ___ in ten minutes.)
The sentence talks about the plane preparing to leave, so 'despegar' (to take off) is the correct verb.
Me gusta ver los aviones ___ del aeropuerto. (I like to watch the planes ___ from the airport.)
When watching planes at an airport, 'despegar' (to take off) is the action they perform.
El piloto anunció que era hora de ___. (The pilot announced it was time to ___.)
A pilot's announcement before a flight would typically be about taking off, so 'despegar' is correct.
Esperamos para que el avión pueda ___. (We wait for the plane to be able to ___.)
People wait for a plane to take off, making 'despegar' the appropriate verb.
Es emocionante ver un cohete ___. (It's exciting to see a rocket ___.)
Rockets 'despegar' (take off) when they launch, which is an exciting sight.
El helicóptero va a ___ pronto. (The helicopter is going to ___ soon.)
Helicopters 'despegar' (take off) from the ground.
This sentence means 'The plane is going to take off soon.' The word order for a future action with 'ir a' (to be going to) is common.
This sentence asks 'When does the flight take off?' In questions, the question word comes first, followed by the verb and then the subject.
This means 'The pilot is ready to take off.' The structure 'estar listo para + infinitive' means 'to be ready to do something'.
Choose the best translation for 'despegar'.
'Despegar' specifically means for an aircraft to lift off the ground and begin to fly, which is 'to take off' in English.
Which sentence correctly uses 'despegar'?
'Despegar' is used for aircraft taking off, not for cars, books, or food.
If a pilot says 'Estamos listos para despegar', what does it mean?
'Estamos listos para despegar' means 'We are ready to take off', referring to the plane's departure.
You use 'despegar' when a plane starts its flight.
True, 'despegar' describes the moment an aircraft lifts off the ground to begin flying.
You can use 'despegar' to say a person is leaving a place.
False, 'despegar' is specifically for aircraft. For a person leaving, you would use verbs like 'salir' or 'irse'.
The opposite of 'despegar' for an airplane is 'aterrizar'.
True, 'aterrizar' means to land, which is the opposite action of 'despegar' (to take off) for an aircraft.
Imagine you are at an airport. Describe what you see as a plane prepares to take off and then 'despega'. Use at least one form of 'despegar'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Desde la terminal, vi un avión grande moverse por la pista. Hizo mucho ruido al ganar velocidad. Luego, el avión despegó del suelo y comenzó a subir al cielo.
Write a short message to a friend describing your excitement or nervousness about a flight. Include when the plane is expected to 'despegar'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
¡Hola! Estoy muy emocionado por mi vuelo de mañana. ¡El avión debe despegar a las 8 de la mañana! Espero que sea un viaje tranquilo. ¿Qué tal tú?
Describe a dream where you could fly. How did you 'despegar' from the ground? What did it feel like?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Anoche tuve un sueño extraño donde podía volar. Al principio, fue difícil despegar del suelo, pero luego me elevé sin esfuerzo. La sensación de libertad era increíble mientras volaba por el cielo.
¿Por qué el avión iba a despegar más tarde?
Read this passage:
El capitán del vuelo anunció que, debido a un pequeño retraso, el avión despegaría veinte minutos más tarde de lo programado. Los pasajeros entendieron y esperaron pacientemente. Finalmente, se escuchó el anuncio de embarque y todos se dirigieron a la puerta para comenzar su viaje.
¿Por qué el avión iba a despegar más tarde?
El pasaje indica claramente 'debido a un pequeño retraso'.
El pasaje indica claramente 'debido a un pequeño retraso'.
¿Qué se hace antes de que un avión pueda despegar?
Read this passage:
Antes de que un avión pueda despegar, se realizan muchas comprobaciones de seguridad. Los pilotos revisan todos los sistemas y el personal de tierra asegura que el equipaje esté cargado correctamente. Es un proceso detallado para garantizar la seguridad de todos a bordo.
¿Qué se hace antes de que un avión pueda despegar?
El texto dice 'se realizan muchas comprobaciones de seguridad' antes del despegue.
El texto dice 'se realizan muchas comprobaciones de seguridad' antes del despegue.
¿Qué acción realizó el pájaro carpintero después de golpear el árbol?
Read this passage:
El pájaro carpintero dio unos golpes rápidos en el árbol y luego, con un batir de alas, despegó hacia otro árbol cercano. Su vuelo era rápido y directo, mostrando su habilidad para moverse entre los árboles del bosque.
¿Qué acción realizó el pájaro carpintero después de golpear el árbol?
El pasaje dice 'luego, con un batir de alas, despegó hacia otro árbol cercano'.
El pasaje dice 'luego, con un batir de alas, despegó hacia otro árbol cercano'.
El avión no pudo ___ a tiempo debido a la tormenta.
The sentence talks about an airplane and a storm, implying a delay in departure. 'Despegar' (to take off) fits this context perfectly, as the storm would prevent the plane from lifting off the ground. 'Aterrizar' means to land, 'volar' means to fly (general action), and 'partir' means to leave (general action), none of which specifically address the act of lifting off at the start of a flight.
Una vez que el cohete logró ___, la misión espacial entró en su fase crítica.
The sentence refers to a rocket and a space mission, indicating the start of its journey. 'Despegar' (to take off) is the precise term for a rocket launching from the ground. 'Descender' means to descend, 'estacionar' means to park, and 'propulsar' means to propel, none of which fit the context of the initial launch phase.
Tras varias horas de espera, el helicóptero finalmente pudo ___ del helipuerto.
The context mentions a helicopter and a helipad, along with a waiting period, implying the start of its flight. 'Despegar' (to take off) is the correct action for a helicopter lifting off from a helipad. 'Parar' means to stop, 'llegar' means to arrive, and 'repostar' means to refuel, none of which describe the act of initiating flight.
Los ingenieros celebraron cuando el prototipo de dron logró ___ sin problemas.
The sentence discusses a drone prototype and engineers celebrating its successful initial flight. 'Despegar' (to take off) perfectly captures the moment the drone lifts off the ground for the first time. While 'elevarse' (to ascend) is related, 'despegar' specifically denotes the start of flight from a surface. 'Caer' means to fall, and 'aterrizar' means to land.
La película mostraba cómo el avión de pasajeros ___ en medio de una tormenta de nieve.
The sentence describes a movie scene with a passenger plane and a snowstorm, implying a challenging start to its journey. 'Despegaba' (was taking off) is the appropriate action for an airplane starting its flight. 'Descendía' means was descending, 'aterrizaba' means was landing, and 'flotaba' means was floating, none of which fit the context of initiating flight in adverse conditions.
A pesar del fuerte viento, la avioneta pudo ___ de la pista de hierba sin incidentes.
The sentence refers to a small plane and a grassy runway, with strong wind, indicating a successful departure despite conditions. 'Despegar' (to take off) is the correct verb for the plane lifting off the runway. 'Permanecer' means to remain, 'detenerse' means to stop, and 'rodar' means to taxi or roll, none of which describe the act of becoming airborne.
Listen for when the plane leaves the ground.
Pay attention to what the captain says about the flight starting.
Listen for the reason why the takeoff was delayed.
Read this aloud:
El avión despegó con suavidad a pesar de la tormenta.
Focus: despegó, suavidad
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
Estamos esperando la autorización para despegar de la torre de control.
Focus: autorización, despegar
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
¿Cuándo crees que el cohete va a despegar?
Focus: cuándo, cohete, despegar
Du hast gesagt:
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/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
Beispiel
El avión despegó con un ligero retraso.
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