Despedirse Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb despedirse means to say goodbye, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Despedirse means to say goodbye, and it is used for leaving family at the airport, saying goodbye to colleagues and ending a visit. It is a stem-changing reflexive -ir verb, e to i, with changes in the preterite and the gerund as well, so it is one of the trickier verbs in this batch. Like every Spanish verb, despedirse changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say me despido de la familia en el aeropuerto, and in the preterite you say me despedí de los compañeros de trabajo. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.

Quick facts

  • Infinitive: despedirse
  • English: to say goodbye
  • Verb type: irregular verb, reflexive, stem-changing (e → i)
  • Ending: -ir
  • Gerund: despidiendo
  • Past participle: despedido
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + despedido)
  • Reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se — one before every conjugated form, matching the person.
  • Stem change: e → i in the present, present subjunctive and imperative; nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem.

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for despedirse, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Despedirse changes e to i: me despido, se despidió, despidiéndose. The gerund is despidiendo, not desped iendo.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for despedirse. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.

Present indicative

Person Pronoun Form
yo me despido
tú te despides
él/ella/Ud. se despide
nosotros/as nos despedimos
vosotros/as os despedís
ellos/ellas/Uds. se despiden

Preterite

Person Pronoun Form
yo me despedí
tú te despediste
él/ella/Ud. se despidió
nosotros/as nos despedimos
vosotros/as os despedisteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se despidieron

Imperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me despedía
tú te despedías
él/ella/Ud. se despedía
nosotros/as nos despedíamos
vosotros/as os despedíais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se despedían

Future

Person Pronoun Form
yo me despediré
tú te despedirás
él/ella/Ud. se despedirá
nosotros/as nos despediremos
vosotros/as os despediréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se despedirán

Conditional

Person Pronoun Form
yo me despediría
tú te despedirías
él/ella/Ud. se despediría
nosotros/as nos despediríamos
vosotros/as os despediríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se despedirían

Present perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me he despedido
tú te has despedido
él/ella/Ud. se ha despedido
nosotros/as nos hemos despedido
vosotros/as os habéis despedido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se han despedido

Pluperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me había despedido
tú te habías despedido
él/ella/Ud. se había despedido
nosotros/as nos habíamos despedido
vosotros/as os habíais despedido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habían despedido

Future perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habré despedido
tú te habrás despedido
él/ella/Ud. se habrá despedido
nosotros/as nos habremos despedido
vosotros/as os habréis despedido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrán despedido

Conditional perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habría despedido
tú te habrías despedido
él/ella/Ud. se habría despedido
nosotros/as nos habríamos despedido
vosotros/as os habríais despedido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrían despedido

Present subjunctive

Person Pronoun Form
yo me despida
tú te despidas
él/ella/Ud. se despida
nosotros/as nos despidamos
vosotros/as os despidáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se despidan

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Pronoun Form
yo me despidiera
tú te despidieras
él/ella/Ud. se despidiera
nosotros/as nos despidiéramos
vosotros/as os despidierais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se despidieran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te despide
él/ella/Ud. se despida
nosotros/as nos despidamos
vosotros/as os despedid
ellos/ellas/Uds. se despidan

Imperative (negative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te despidas
él/ella/Ud. se despida
nosotros/as nos despidamos
vosotros/as os despidáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se despidan

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund despidiendo with estar for the progressive: estoy despidiendo (or me estoy despidiendo for this reflexive verb)
Past participle despedido with haber for the perfect tenses: he despedido

How to use each tense

Present indicative

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → i in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For despedirse, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Me despido de la familia en el aeropuerto. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Preterite

Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → i in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For despedirse, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, me despedí con un abrazo muy fuerte. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect

Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For despedirse, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, me despedía de los compañeros de trabajo. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future

Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For despedirse, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, me despediré hasta mañana con una sonrisa. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional

Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For despedirse, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Me despediría de la familia en el aeropuerto si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present perfect

Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For despedirse, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, me he despedido con un abrazo muy fuerte. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Pluperfect

Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For despedirse, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me había despedido de los compañeros de trabajo antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future perfect

Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For despedirse, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, me habré despedido hasta mañana con una sonrisa. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional perfect

Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For despedirse, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me habría despedido de la familia en el aeropuerto con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present subjunctive

Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → i in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For despedirse, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él se despida con un abrazo muy fuerte. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → i in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For despedirse, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él se despidiera de los compañeros de trabajo, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (affirmative)

Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → i in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For despedirse, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: Que se despida hasta mañana con una sonrisa. Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (negative)

Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → i in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For despedirse, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No te despidas de la familia en el aeropuerto. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Example sentences

Ten natural sentences with despedirse, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Me despido de la familia en el aeropuerto. — I say goodbye from the family at the airport.
  2. Se despide con un abrazo muy fuerte. — He/she says goodbye with a big hug.
  3. Ayer, me despedí de los compañeros de trabajo. — Yesterday, I said goodbye from work colleagues.
  4. Antes, nosotros nos despedíamos hasta mañana con una sonrisa. — Before, we used to say goodbye until tomorrow, with a smile.
  5. Mañana, tú te despedirás de la familia en el aeropuerto. — Tomorrow, you will say goodbye from the family at the airport.
  6. Yo me despediría con un abrazo muy fuerte si tuviera más tiempo. — I would say goodbye with a big hug if I had more time.
  7. Él se ha despedido de los compañeros de trabajo. — He has said goodbye from work colleagues.
  8. Espero que él se despida hasta mañana con una sonrisa. — I hope he says goodbye until tomorrow, with a smile.
  9. Yo ya me había despedido de la familia en el aeropuerto antes de salir. — I had already said goodbye from the family at the airport before leaving.
  10. Ellos se despedían con un abrazo muy fuerte cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to say goodbye with a big hug when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo despido de la familia en el aeropuerto. — Right: Yo me despido de la familia en el aeropuerto. — Despedirse is reflexive, so the pronoun me is required: without it the verb means something else, or nothing at all.
  2. Wrong: Yo despedo con un abrazo muy fuerte. — Right: Yo despido con un abrazo muy fuerte. — Despedirse is a stem-changing verb (e → i), so the stem changes in the present singular and third-person plural. The nosotros form keeps the original stem.
  3. Wrong: Treating despedirse and saludar as identical in every context. — Right: Despedirse means to say goodbye, while saludar means to greet, its opposite. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: despedirse fits sentences such as Me despido de la familia en el aeropuerto, while saludar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy despedido con un abrazo muy fuerte. — Right: Yo he despedido con un abrazo muy fuerte. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he despedido, has despedido, ha despedido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo despedí de los compañeros de trabajo todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo despedía de los compañeros de trabajo todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (despedía), not the preterite. The preterite (despedí) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on despedirse. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ de la familia en el aeropuerto. (present tense) A. me despido B. te despides C. se despide D. nos despedimos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ con un abrazo muy fuerte. (preterite) A. me despedí B. te despediste C. se despidieron D. se despidió

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ de los compañeros de trabajo. (imperfect) A. te despedías B. se despedían C. nos despedíamos D. me despedía

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ hasta mañana con una sonrisa. (future) A. nos despediremos B. te despedirás C. me despediré D. se despedirá

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ de la familia en el aeropuerto si pudiera. (conditional) A. me despediría B. te despedirías C. se despediría D. se despedirían

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ con un abrazo muy fuerte. (present subjunctive) A. me despida B. te despidas C. nos despidamos D. se despida

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ de los compañeros de trabajo, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. se despidiera B. nos despidiéramos C. me despidiera D. te despidieras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ hasta mañana con una sonrisa. (present perfect) A. se han despedido B. nos hemos despedido C. me he despedido D. te has despedido

  9. Complete the command: No ___ de la familia en el aeropuerto. (negative imperative, tú) A. te despidas B. se despida C. nos despidamos D. os despidáis

  10. Which is the gerund of despedirse, used with estar for the progressive? A. despedido B. despido C. despedí D. despidiendo

Answer key

  1. me despido — The first-person present of despedirse is me despido. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. se despidió — The third-person preterite of despedirse is se despidió, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. nos despedíamos — The nosotros imperfect of despedirse is nos despedíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. te despedirás — The second-person future of despedirse is te despedirás.
  5. me despediría — The first-person conditional of despedirse is me despediría, the form for what would happen.
  6. se despida — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of despedirse is se despida.
  7. me despidiera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of despedirse is me despidiera.
  8. nos hemos despedido — The nosotros present perfect of despedirse is nos hemos despedido: hemos + despedido.
  9. te despidas — The negative tú imperative uses the present subjunctive form with no before it: te despidas.
  10. despidiendo — The gerund of despedirse is despidiendo: estoy despidiendo. The participle despedido is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does despedirse mean in English?

Despedirse means to say goodbye. It is used in everyday situations such as Me despido de la familia en el aeropuerto. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is despedirse a reflexive verb?

Yes. Despedirse is reflexive, so it always takes a reflexive pronoun that matches the person: me, te, se, nos, os or se. For example, Me despido de la familia en el aeropuerto and él se despide con un abrazo muy fuerte. If you leave the pronoun out, the verb changes meaning or stops making sense.

What is the difference between despedirse and saludar?

Despedirse means to say goodbye, while saludar means to greet, its opposite. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use despedirse when you mean to say goodbye, as in Me despido de la familia en el aeropuerto, and use saludar for to greet, its opposite. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I say goodbye” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo me despedí con un abrazo muy fuerte. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo me despedía de los compañeros de trabajo. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo me he despedido con un abrazo muy fuerte.

How do I practise despedirse?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the despedirse examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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