deixar de + Infinitive
Stopping: Deixar De
Deixar de + infinitive means to stop doing something, as in Deixei de fumar (I stopped smoking) and Non deixa de chover (It will not stop raining).
How It Works
Stopping: for good or just for now: Deixei de fumar hai un ano (I stopped smoking a year ago), Deixa de berrar! (Stop shouting!).
Non deixar de has two uses:
• "not stop, keep on": Non deixa de chover (It just will not stop raining).
• in a negative command, "be sure to": Non deixes de visitarnos (Be sure to visit us). See negative commands.
With and without de:
• deixar de fumar = to stop smoking
• deixar fumar = to let someone smoke (see facer and deixar + infinitive)
Pronouns join the infinitive: Deixa de molestala (Stop bothering her). After -r, the pronoun a becomes la: see lo and la after -r.
Related patterns: the opposite is seguir + gerund (keep doing). Do not confuse deixar de with acabar de, which means "to have just done".
Examples (6)
- Deixei de fumar hai un ano.
I stopped smoking a year ago.
Word by Word: Left-I of smoke there-is one year.
- Deixou de chover.
It stopped raining.
Word by Word: Left of rain.
- Deixa de berrar!
Stop shouting!
Word by Word: Leave of shout!
- Non deixa de chover.
It will not stop raining.
Word by Word: Not leaves of rain.
With non it means the action keeps going.
- Cando deixaches de traballar alí?
When did you stop working there?
Word by Word: When left-you of work there?
- Non deixes de visitarnos.
Be sure to visit us.
Word by Word: Not leave-you of visit-us.
A negative command with deixar de means "be sure to".
Common Mistakes
Leaving out de when you mean "stop".
Deixei fumar.Deixei de fumar.The intended meaning is "I stopped smoking". Without de, Deixei fumar means "I let someone smoke".
Using a gerund after deixar de.
Deixei de fumando.Deixei de fumar.Like other preposition + verb patterns, deixar de takes an infinitive.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Deixar de expresses stopping an activity and differs from deixar without de.
Related Patterns
- seguir + GerundContinuing: Seguir + Gerund
The opposite idea: carrying on with an action.
Level 3 - acabar de + InfinitiveJust Done: Acabar De
A similar-looking pattern that means "to have just done", not "to stop".
Level 2 - comezar a / poñerse aStarting Actions
Patterns for starting an action, the other end of deixar de.
Level 3 - facer / deixar + InfinitiveMaking and Letting: Facer and Deixar + Infinitive
Covers deixar + infinitive without de, meaning to let someone do something.
Level 4 - Negative Commands
Non deixes de... is a negative command meaning "be sure to".
Level 3 - volver (a) + InfinitiveDoing Again: Volver (A)
Another verb + infinitive pattern about the course of an action: doing it again.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice deixar de + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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