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husker

Jan 25, 2007, 12:47 PM

Post #1 of 8 (3492 views)

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Vocabulary problems

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I have been using a program called Visual Link to assist me with vocabulary as well as sentence structure. Recently I purchased their verb module for conjugation as well as increasing my vocabulary. Here is my problem learning new words and where to us them, the word despedir ( in their reflexive verb section ) is used to say goodby. However when looking in my dictionary it appears to mean fire, dismiss or let go. If you used it as a reflexive verb would I have to fire myself, someone or them me in order to correctly use this word. Estoy hablando adios would work to say goodby or me despedo?

esperanza

Jan 25, 2007, 2:36 PM

Post #2 of 8 (3485 views)

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Re: [husker] Vocabulary problems

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If you want to say adios, just say adios!

Or you could say: hasta luego, hasta pronto, hasta mañana, chao...the possibilities are almost endless.

And as for despedirse (the reflexive form of the infinitive despedir), it does mean to be fired, dismissed, or let go (from a job, etc).

It also means 'to say goodbye'.

Bueno, pues, me despido (note the irregularity in the verb) de ustedes con una palabra: adios.
Well, then, I say goodbye to you with one word: adios.

Se despidió de mi sin decir adios.
He said goodbye to me without saying adios.

Déja que me despido de tu mamá.
Let me say goodbye to your mother.

You can see that the verb is followed by 'de' whoever it is you are bidding farewell.

The reflexive form of the irregular verb despedir--despedirse--is conjugated like this in the present tense:

Yo me despido
Tu te despides
(Él, ella) se despide

Nosotros nos despedimos
Ustedes se despiden
(Ellos, ellas) se despiden

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husker

Jan 26, 2007, 5:56 AM

Post #3 of 8 (3462 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Vocabulary problems

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Thank you. The de makes a big difference in my understanding the usage. Reflexives and pronouns are giving me fits. I was never a "student" of the English language but got by in those boring classes. It seems like a millon years ago that I was in a class room trying to remember what was what -- and now I need to understand it. Go figure.

esperanza

Jan 26, 2007, 6:41 AM

Post #4 of 8 (3459 views)

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Re: [husker] Vocabulary problems

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There is actually a little book called English Grammar for Students of Spanish by Emily Spinelli (Olivia and Hill Press) that you might find useful. You can see it here:

http://www.amazon.com/...?ie=UTF8&s=books

By the way, Deja, in my earlier post, does not require an accent over the e. I was going to post a different construction but changed my mind--and forgot to delete the accent.

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doogie

Jan 27, 2007, 11:15 AM

Post #5 of 8 (3427 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Vocabulary problems

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Despedirse means, in addition to being dismissed or fired from a job, to bid farewell or to take ones leave, rather than "say goodbye" as Esperanza commented. So to say "Se despidió sin decir adios" translated as "He bid farewell without saying goodbye" makes no sense. Saying goodbye - decir adios - is the farewell. It would be more accurate to say Se despidió con decir adios - He took his leave by saying goodbye. ¿Sí?
Doogie,
Tapatío de corazón

esperanza

Jan 27, 2007, 11:56 AM

Post #6 of 8 (3424 views)

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Re: [doogie] Vocabulary problems

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Not necessarily. In the case of 'Se despidió sin decir adios', he could easily have said only, 'Me voy', and hopped into his bocho.

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doogie

Jan 27, 2007, 1:00 PM

Post #7 of 8 (3420 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Vocabulary problems

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OK, Esperanza, you got me: What is a bocho? RE: Despedirse; sí dijo "Me voy" y se fué, he simply said "I'm leaving" then left. Yo diría que se fué sin despedirse, el despido es un tipo de saludo que se usa al partir, ya sea adios, hasta mañana, hasta luego, etc. To which the response is usually "que te vaya bien" or "vaya con Dios". To leave without the despido is considered rude. At the end of the workday, my boss always just walks out the door without a word. Everyone comments on him "Se va sin despedirse, tendrá mucha prisa". "He must be in a big hurry, he left without saying goodbye". For that he's considered rude maleducado.
Doogie,
Tapatío de corazón

esperanza

Jan 27, 2007, 1:07 PM

Post #8 of 8 (3416 views)

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Re: [doogie] Vocabulary problems

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His Volkswagen bug, the old style that isn't made now.

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