The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Despedirse is used to give direct orders or instructions for saying goodbye, for example: Despídete de tus amigos. (Say goodbye to your friends.)

This verb follows the e to i stem-changing conjugation pattern, where the stem vowel changes from ‘e’ to ‘i’ in certain forms.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Despedirse (to say goodbye) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Castilian Spanish):

Despedirse generally means “to say goodbye” or “to take leave”, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

To bid farewell: This is the most common meaning. For example, Despídete de tus amigos antes de irte. (Say goodbye to your friends before you leave.)

To dismiss or let someone go: In a professional context, it can mean to fire or lay off an employee. For example, Despídelo si no cumple con sus obligaciones. (Dismiss him if he doesn’t fulfill his duties.)

To break up or end a relationship: When used with a romantic partner, it implies ending the relationship. For example, Despídete de ella si ya no la amas. (Break up with her if you don’t love her anymore.)

To get rid of or discard something: In a more figurative sense, it can mean to let go of or discard something. For example, Despídete de esos malos hábitos. (Get rid of those bad habits.)

To say goodbye to a place or situation (colloquial): In informal contexts, it can mean to leave a place or situation behind. For example, Despídete de esta ciudad de mala muerte. (Say goodbye to this godforsaken city.)

Examples

Examples of Despedirse in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

Antes de irte, despídete de tus amigos. (Before you leave, say goodbye to your friends.)

Señor, es hora de irnos. Despídase de sus colegas. (Sir, it’s time for us to go. Say goodbye to your colleagues.)

Chicos, despidámonos de la abuela con un abrazo. (Kids, let’s say goodbye to grandma with a hug.)

Damas y caballeros, el vuelo está por salir. Despídanse de sus seres queridos. (Ladies and gentlemen, the flight is about to depart. Say goodbye to your loved ones.)

Antes de colgar, despídete apropiadamente. (Before hanging up, say a proper goodbye.)

Mamá, ya me voy a la escuela. Despídete de papá. (Mom, I’m going to school now. Say goodbye to dad.)

Cuando terminen el proyecto, despídanse del equipo con un brindis. (When you finish the project, say goodbye to the team with a toast.)

Oye, amigo, me tengo que ir. Despídete de todos, ¿quieres? (Hey, friend, I have to go. Say goodbye to everyone, will you?)

Antes de mudarnos, despidámonos de este vecindario con una última caminata. (Before we move, let’s say goodbye to this neighborhood with one last walk.)

Cuando se vayan de vacaciones, despídanse de mí con una postal. (When you go on vacation, say goodbye to me with a postcard.)

Bueno, chicos, ya es tarde. Despidámonos y vayamos a casa. (Well, kids, it’s getting late. Let’s say goodbye and go home.)

Antes de irte a la universidad, despídete de tu familia como se debe. (Before you go to university, say a proper goodbye to your family.)

Señoras y señores, hemos llegado a nuestro destino. Despídanse y que tengan un buen día. (Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at our destination. Say your goodbyes and have a nice day.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Despedirse (to say goodbye) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.