despedirse

Despedirse is a Spanish pronominal verb meaning to say goodbye or to take one’s leave. It is used when the subject partakes in the act of bidding farewell, typically with the preposition de to indicate the person or thing being left behind (despedirse de alguien) or de algo. The related noun is despedida.

Grammatical notes: Despedirse is reflexive, so it requires a reflexive pronoun: me, te, se, nos, os, se. In the present tense the form changes with a stem modification: me despido, te despides, se despide, nos despedimos, os despedís, se despiden. It is a stem-changing verb in the present, with the e in the stem changing to i in the forms that bear the stress on the verb root. The verb also appears in other tenses with the same semantic focus on bidding farewell, often with the appropriate reflexive pronoun.

Usage and context: The core meaning is to bid farewell to a person, place, or thing, but it can extend to leaving a job, a habit, or a belief. Common constructions include despedirse de alguien or despedirse de algo. It can be used in formal or informal contexts, and it contrasts with decir adiós as a more direct “say goodbye” expression or with partir for simply leaving.

Examples: Me despidí de mi familia antes de viajar. Ella se despidió de sus colegas al terminar la reunión. Nos despediremos de ustedes mañana. The noun form is la despedida, meaning a farewell or farewell event.