Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
How to Say Quit in Spanish: Renunciar, Dejar & Dimitir
Renunciar · verb · rreh-noon-see-AHR
Quit in Spanish translates differently depending on what you're quitting. Renunciar (a) means to quit or resign from a job. Dejar (de) means to quit or stop a habit (dejar de fumar = quit smoking). Dimitir is used in Spain for high-profile resignations from political or corporate positions.
rreh-noon-see-AHR — four syllables, stress on the last. The initial rr is trilled. The -ciar ending sounds like 'see-ahr.'
Decidió renunciar a su trabajo el mes pasado.
She decided to quit her job last month.
Quit in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for quit, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| renunciar | quit | rreh-noon-see-AHR | Default, widely understood |
| dejar | quit | to quit/stop (a habit) | |
| abandonar | quit | to quit/abandon | |
| dimitir | quit | Spain: to resign from office |
How Native Speakers Use Renunciar
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Quitting a job
Renuncié porque no me sentía valorado.
I quit because I didn't feel valued.
Renunciar (without a) or renunciar a mi trabajo is the standard way to say I quit my job.
Quitting a habit
Dejé de fumar hace dos años.
I quit smoking two years ago.
Dejar de + infinitive is the structure for stopping a habit or activity.
Political resignation (Spain)
El ministro dimitió tras el escándalo.
The minister resigned after the scandal.
Dimitir is formal and common in Spanish (Spain) politics and corporate governance.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Renunciar
Using quitar as a translation of quit
Incorrect: Voy a quitar mi trabajo.
Correct: Voy a renunciar a mi trabajo.
Quitar means to remove or take away (quitar una mancha = remove a stain). It does not mean to quit. Renunciar is the correct verb for quitting a job.
Omitting de after dejar for habits
Incorrect: Dejé fumar.
Correct: Dejé de fumar.
The structure is dejar de + infinitive. Without de, dejar means to leave or let, which changes the meaning entirely.
Lock in Quit Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
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See Renunciar used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Quit in Spanish
- How do you say quit in Spanish?
- For quitting a job: renunciar. For quitting a habit: dejar de + infinitive. For political resignations in Spain: dimitir.
- What is the difference between renunciar and dimitir?
- Renunciar is used across all Spanish-speaking countries for any job resignation. Dimitir is more formal and mainly used in Spain for high-level resignations (ministers, executives).
- How do you say I quit smoking in Spanish?
- Dejé de fumar (past tense, I already quit) or voy a dejar de fumar (I'm going to quit). Dejar de is the key structure for stopping habits.