Stopping Actions: How to use 'dejar de' (to stop doing)
dejar de followed by an infinitive to say you've stopped or quit doing an action.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'dejar de' + infinitive to express the cessation of an action, effectively meaning 'to stop doing something'.
- Use 'dejar de' + infinitive for habitual actions: 'Dejé de fumar' (I stopped smoking).
- Use it in the negative to mean 'not to fail to': 'No dejes de llamarme' (Don't fail to call me).
- Always use the preposition 'de' between the conjugated verb and the infinitive.
Overview
Dejar de + infinitivo is a fundamental Spanish construction used to express the cessation or discontinuation of an action. This phrase directly translates to “to stop doing something” or “to quit doing something.” It is an indispensable structure for B2-level learners, as it allows for nuanced communication about changes in habits, interruptions of ongoing activities, and negative directives.
Understanding dejar de goes beyond a simple translation of the English “stop.” It embodies a specific linguistic pattern where the verb dejar (to leave, to let) combines with the preposition de and an infinitive to form a cohesive semantic unit. This pattern is pervasive in both formal and informal Spanish, making its mastery crucial for sounding natural and articulate.
Consider the contrast with English, where “stop” can be followed by a gerund (e.g., “stop smoking”) or an infinitive (e.g., “stop to smoke”). Spanish, however, consistently requires the infinitive after dejar de, reflecting a general rule that prepositions are followed by infinitives, not gerunds, when expressing the action itself. For instance, Dejé de estudiar means "I stopped studying," while Paré para estudiar means "I stopped (my previous activity) in order to study." This distinction highlights the precision required.
How This Grammar Works
dejar de + infinitivo functions as a single verbal unit where dejar is the conjugated verb that carries the tense, mood, and person information, while de acts as a crucial link, and the second verb (the infinitive) specifies the action being stopped. The de here is not merely a possessive preposition; it indicates separation or cessation from the action described by the infinitive.dejar initially means “to leave” or “to let.” When de is introduced, it often signals a detachment or origin. In this context, dejar de can be conceptualized as “to leave from” or “to desist from” an action. This semantic shift is common in Spanish, where prepositions fundamentally alter the meaning or grammatical function of a verb.Ella dejó de fumar hace un año (She stopped smoking a year ago) clearly indicates a discontinuation.dejar. It remains in its base form, highlighting the action itself, independent of who performs it or when. This contrasts with English gerunds which sometimes appear to act as nouns.Ellos deben dejar de contaminar el planeta (They must stop polluting the planet) illustrates the fixed infinitive contaminar.dejar and can be placed either before the conjugated dejar or attached to the infinitive. For instance, Me he dejado de preocupar por tonterías (I have stopped worrying about silly things) uses me before he dejado, while Él debería dejar de quejarse tanto (He should stop complaining so much) attaches se to the infinitive. This flexibility in pronoun placement is characteristic of Spanish periphrastic verbs.Formation Pattern
dejar de + infinitivo involves conjugating dejar to match the subject and desired tense, always followed by de, and then the infinitive of the action to be stopped. This pattern is consistent across all moods and tenses.
dejar: Apply the correct conjugation of dejar based on the subject and the tense you wish to use.
de: This preposition is invariable and essential for the meaning “to stop doing.”
hablar, comer, vivir).
dejar in common indicative tenses with de + infinitivo:
dejo de + inf. | dejas de + inf. | deja de + inf. | dejamos de + inf. | dejáis de + inf. | dejan de + inf. |
Dejo de comer carne. | ¿Dejas de fumar? | Deja de mirar TV. | Dejamos de quejarnos. | Dejáis de trabajar. | Dejan de salir. |
dejé de + inf. | dejaste de + inf. | dejó de + inf. | dejamos de + inf. | dejasteis de + inf. | dejaron de + inf. |
Dejé de beber ayer. | Dejaste de llamarme. | Dejó de llover. | Dejamos de correr. | Dejasteis de hablar. | Dejaron de esperar. |
dejaba de + inf. | dejabas de + inf. | dejaba de + inf. | dejábamos de + inf. | dejabais de + inf. | dejaban de + inf. |
Dejaba de estudiar. | Siempre dejabas de...| Dejaba de molestar. | Dejábamos de jugar. | Dejabais de reír. | Dejaban de venir. |
dejaré de + inf. | dejarás de + inf. | dejará de + inf. | dejaremos de + inf. | dejaréis de + inf. | dejarán de + inf. |
Dejaré de procrastinar.| ¿Dejarás de mentir? | Dejará de nevar. | Dejaremos de ir. | Dejaréis de dudar. | Dejarán de discutir. |
dejaría de + inf. | dejarías de + inf. | dejaría de + inf. | dejaríamos de + inf. | dejaríais de + inf. | dejarían de + inf. |
Dejaría de quejarme. | Si pudieras, ¿dejarías?| Dejaría de comer. | Dejaríamos de viajar. | Dejaríais de pensarlo.| Dejarían de quejarse.|
dejar: This is the most common and often preferred placement, especially in conversational Spanish.
No me puedo dejar de reír. (I can't stop laughing.)
Te lo tienes que dejar de pensar. (You have to stop thinking about it.)
No puedo dejar de reírme. (I can't stop laughing.)
Lo tienes que dejar de pensarte. (You have to stop thinking about it.)
Pretérito Perfecto (he dejado de + infinitivo), the pronoun always precedes the auxiliary verb: Me he dejado de preocupar por el futuro. (I have stopped worrying about the future.)
When To Use It
dejar de + infinitivo is primarily used in three key scenarios, each emphasizing a different aspect of cessation:Mi padre dejó de fumar hace diez años.(My father stopped smoking ten years ago.) – Indicates a permanent change in habit.Ya es hora de que dejes de procastinar.(It's already time for you to stop procrastinating.) – A strong suggestion to change a routine.He decidido dejar de comer dulces para estar más sano.(I have decided to stop eating sweets to be healthier.) – A personal resolution to change a dietary habit.
El músico dejó de tocar cuando vio al director.(The musician stopped playing when he saw the director.) – An immediate interruption of an action.¡Por favor, deja de hablar y escúchame un momento!(Please, stop talking and listen to me for a moment!) – A direct command to cease a current action.Tuvimos que dejar de trabajar por el corte de luz.(We had to stop working due to the power cut.) – An external factor causing the cessation of work.
Dejar de is particularly potent in conveying negative commands or strong recommendations, especially in the imperative mood. It implies a demand for the cessation of an undesirable behavior.¡Dejad de gritar, por favor! ¡No puedo concentrarme!(Spain: Stop shouting, please! I can't concentrate!) – A direct, urgent command in the plural informalvosotrosform.Deja de molestar a tu hermana.(Stop bothering your sister.) – A typical parental command intúform.Necesitas dejar de quejarte por todo y buscar soluciones.(You need to stop complaining about everything and look for solutions.) – A strong recommendation to change a negative attitude.
dejar de typically implies a conscious choice, it can also describe an involuntary cessation, as in Dejó de llover después de tres días. (It stopped raining after three days.)Common Mistakes
dejar de + infinitivo, primarily due to direct translation from English or misunderstanding Spanish prepositional verb patterns. Recognizing these pitfalls is crucial for accurate usage.dejar de + gerundio (e.g., dejé de leyendo). This is incorrect in Spanish.- Incorrect:
Ella dejó de estudiando. - Correct:
Ella dejó de estudiar.(She stopped studying.)
de) are always followed by an infinitive, not a gerund, when the preposition governs a verb.de: Forgetting the de drastically changes the meaning of dejar. Dejar + infinitivo (without de) means “to let/allow someone to do something” or “to leave something undone/to abandon a task.”- Incorrect:
Dejó fumar.(Implies: He allowed smoking, or he left a cigarette.) - Correct:
Él dejó de fumar hace un mes.(He stopped smoking a month ago.)
- Incorrect:
No te dejo hablar.(Implies: I don't let you talk.) - Correct:
¡No te dejes de hablar!(This is an odd construction. The correct command to stop talking is¡Deja de hablar!) - *This illustrates how omittingdechanges the meaning from
Conjugation of 'Dejar de' + Infinitive
| Subject | Present | Preterite | Imperfect |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Yo
|
dejo de
|
dejé de
|
dejaba de
|
|
Tú
|
dejas de
|
dejaste de
|
dejabas de
|
|
Él/Ella/Ud.
|
deja de
|
dejó de
|
dejaba de
|
|
Nosotros
|
dejamos de
|
dejamos de
|
dejábamos de
|
|
Ellos/Ellas/Uds.
|
dejan de
|
dejaron de
|
dejaban de
|
Meanings
This construction indicates the cessation of an action or, when used negatively, a strong recommendation or necessity to perform an action.
Cessation
To cease an ongoing or habitual action.
“Dejé de correr cuando empezó a llover.”
“Ella dejó de trabajar en la oficina.”
Emphasis/Obligation
Used in the negative ('no dejar de') to mean 'must not fail to' or 'be sure to'.
“No dejes de visitar el museo.”
“No dejes de avisarme si cambias de opinión.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Dejar de + Inf
|
Dejo de correr.
|
|
Negative
|
No dejar de + Inf
|
No dejes de venir.
|
|
Question
|
¿Dejar de + Inf?
|
¿Dejaste de trabajar?
|
|
Past Habit
|
Dejaba de + Inf
|
Dejaba de fumar.
|
|
Perfect
|
He dejado de + Inf
|
He dejado de ir.
|
|
Future
|
Dejaré de + Inf
|
Dejaré de hacerlo.
|
Formality Spectrum
He dejado de prestar servicios en la empresa. (Work)
He dejado de trabajar en la empresa. (Work)
Ya no trabajo ahí. (Work)
Corté con el laburo. (Work)
Usage of Dejar de
Cessation
- Fumar Smoking
- Trabajar Working
Advice
- Llamar Call
- Visitar Visit
Examples by Level
Dejo de comer ahora.
I stop eating now.
Él deja de hablar.
He stops talking.
Nosotros dejamos de jugar.
We stop playing.
Ellos dejan de caminar.
They stop walking.
Dejé de fumar el año pasado.
I stopped smoking last year.
No dejes de llamarme.
Don't fail to call me.
Ella dejó de estudiar ayer.
She stopped studying yesterday.
Dejamos de ir al cine.
We stopped going to the cinema.
Nunca dejé de creer en ti.
I never stopped believing in you.
No dejes de avisarme si hay cambios.
Be sure to let me know if there are changes.
El motor dejó de funcionar.
The engine stopped working.
Dejaron de visitarnos frecuentemente.
They stopped visiting us frequently.
No dejes de considerar esta opción.
Do not fail to consider this option.
La empresa dejó de operar en el país.
The company stopped operating in the country.
He dejado de sentirme así.
I have stopped feeling this way.
No dejes de leer este artículo.
Be sure to read this article.
No dejó de sorprenderme su actitud.
His attitude never ceased to surprise me.
Dejaron de lado sus diferencias.
They put their differences aside.
No dejes de lado tus principios.
Do not abandon your principles.
El viento dejó de soplar bruscamente.
The wind stopped blowing abruptly.
No dejó de ser una experiencia reveladora.
It did not cease to be a revealing experience.
Dejó de existir el antiguo régimen.
The old regime ceased to exist.
No dejes de percibir la ironía.
Do not fail to perceive the irony.
La lluvia no dejó de caer en toda la noche.
The rain did not cease falling all night.
Easily Confused
Both mean stop, but 'parar' is physical.
Dejar means to leave/let.
Terminar means to finish.
Common Mistakes
Dejo fumar
Dejo de fumar
Dejo de fumo
Dejo de fumar
Paro de fumar
Dejo de fumar
Dejo a fumar
Dejo de fumar
No dejes fumar
No dejes de fumar
Dejé fumar
Dejé de fumar
Dejé de fumado
Dejé de fumar
No dejes de llamándome
No dejes de llamarme
Dejé de que trabajaba
Dejé de trabajar
Dejé de la escuela
Dejé la escuela
No dejó de sorprendido
No dejó de sorprender
Dejó de su intento
Dejó de intentar
No dejes de haber ido
No dejes de ir
Sentence Patterns
Yo ___ de ___ todos los días.
No ___ de ___ si quieres aprender.
He ___ de ___ porque estaba cansado.
No ___ de ___ esta oportunidad única.
Real World Usage
No dejes de seguirnos.
Dejé de trabajar para estudiar.
No dejes de avisarme.
El tren dejó de pasar.
No dejes de pedir el postre.
No deje de consultar la bibliografía.
The 'de' rule
Don't conjugate the second verb
Negative emphasis
Regional variation
Smart Tips
Use 'No dejes de' instead of just 'No olvides'.
Always use 'dejar de' for quitting.
Check if you need a preposition.
Use 'cesar de' if you want to be very formal.
Pronunciation
Linking
The 'd' in 'de' often links to the next word.
Imperative
¡No dejes de venir! ↗
Rising intonation for emphasis.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember: 'Dejar de' is like a 'Stop' sign. The 'de' is the pole holding the sign up.
Visual Association
Imagine a person running (the infinitive) hitting a giant red 'DE' sign and stopping immediately.
Rhyme
Para parar, usa 'dejar de', y el infinitivo siempre has de poner.
Story
Juan decided to stop smoking. He said, 'Voy a dejar de fumar'. He threw his cigarettes away. Now, he tells his friends: 'No dejes de intentarlo si quieres cambiar'.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences about habits you have stopped using 'dejar de'.
Cultural Notes
Commonly used in formal and informal settings.
Often used with 'dejar de' to mean 'stop' in a very direct way.
Used frequently in social advice.
From Latin 'de-laxare' (to loosen).
Conversation Starters
¿Qué hábito has dejado de tener últimamente?
¿Qué no debería dejar de hacer un turista en tu país?
¿Has dejado de estudiar alguna vez?
¿Qué actividad no dejarías de hacer nunca?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Yo ___ de fumar.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
No dejes llamarme.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I stopped eating.
Answer starts with: Dej...
A: ¿Vas a seguir fumando? B: No, ___.
Use: No, dejar, de, estudiar.
Which is a valid 'dejar de' construction?
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesYo ___ de fumar.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
No dejes llamarme.
de / trabajar / dejé / .
I stopped eating.
A: ¿Vas a seguir fumando? B: No, ___.
Use: No, dejar, de, estudiar.
Which is a valid 'dejar de' construction?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesMis padres ________ de fumar el año pasado.
Stop talking!
Ellos dejaron trabajar a las cinco.
puedo / de / no / reír / dejar
Match these meanings:
Mañana ________ de usar esta vieja aplicación.
Usted debería ________ de preocuparse.
We stopped playing because it was late.
Nunca voy a dejar de amándote.
Choose the imperfect tense:
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, it must be followed by an infinitive.
It's similar but 'dejar de' is more common for habits.
It's a preposition linking the verb to the action.
Yes, 'Dejaré de hacerlo'.
It's neutral and used everywhere.
It will sound incorrect to native speakers.
Better to use 'parar'.
Use 'No dejes de' + infinitive.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Stop + gerund
Spanish uses 'de' + infinitive.
Cesser de + infinitive
Uses 'cesser' instead of 'dejar'.
Aufhören + zu + infinitive
German is a separable verb.
Verb-stem + yameru
Japanese uses a suffix.
Tawaqqafa 'an + masdar
Arabic uses a verbal noun.
Tingzhi + verb
No conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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