How To Say Take Off In Spanish

Learning how to say take off in Spanish is one of those linguistic puzzles that reveals just how context-dependent language really is. While that is the correct term for an airplane leaving the runway, using it to tell someone to "take off their jacket" or "take off for the weekend" will earn you confused looks from native speakers. If you plug the phrase into a basic translation tool, you will likely get despegar. Spanish relies heavily on specific verbs for specific actions, and the English phrasal verb "take off" is a perfect example of why direct translation often fails The details matter here..

This guide breaks down every major context you will encounter, providing the precise verb, the grammatical structure, and the cultural nuance needed to sound natural Worth keeping that in mind..

The Big Three: Despegar, Quitarse, and Irse

Before diving into niche scenarios, you must master the three heavy hitters. These cover 90% of daily usage.

1. Despegar: Vehicles and Careers Taking Flight

This is the standard translation for take off when the subject is a vehicle leaving the ground or a metaphorical "launch" (like a career or business) Practical, not theoretical..

• El avión despega a las tres. (The plane takes off at three.)
• Su carrera despegó después de ese premio. (His career took off after that award.)

Grammar Note: Despegar is an intransitive verb in this context (the subject performs the action). It undergoes a stem change (e → ie) in the present tense for most pronouns: yo despego, tú despegas, él despega, nosotros despegamos, ustedes/ellos despegan.

2. Quitarse: Removing Clothing and Accessories

When the object is something worn—clothes, glasses, jewelry, shoes—Spanish uses the reflexive verb quitarse (to remove from oneself). English uses "take off" transitively (I take off my hat); Spanish uses a reflexive structure (Me quito el sombrero — literally "I remove the hat from myself").

• Hace calor; me voy a quitar la chaqueta. (It’s hot; I’m going to take off my jacket.)
• Quítate las gafas para la foto. (Take off your glasses for the photo.)

Crucial Structure: Quitarse + [definite article] + [body part/clothing item] And that's really what it comes down to. Less friction, more output..

Incorrect: Quito mi chaqueta. Correct: Me quito la chaqueta. (Use the definite article la/el/los/las, not the possessive mi/mis) Easy to understand, harder to ignore..

3. Irse / Largarse: Leaving a Place

If "take off" means "to leave," "to split," or "to hit the road," the verb is irse (reflexive ir). For informal or slightly rude contexts ("get lost," "buzz off"), use largarse.

• Ya es tarde, me tengo que ir. (It’s late, I have to take off / leave.)
• ¡Lárgate! (Take off! / Get lost! — Informal/Rude)

Transportation Nuances: It’s Not Just Planes

While despegar works for planes and rockets, other vehicles have their own verbs for the moment they begin movement.

Salir: Trains, Buses, and Boats

Trains and buses do not "despegar." They salir (leave/depart) That's the part that actually makes a difference..

• El tren sale a las diez. (The train takes off / departs at ten.)
• ¿A qué hora sale el ferry? (What time does the ferry take off / leave?)

Arrancar: Cars and Motorcycles

For road vehicles, the act of starting the engine and beginning to move is arrancar Easy to understand, harder to ignore. Still holds up..

• El coche no arranca. (The car won't start / take off.)
• Arrancamos al amanecer. (We take off / hit the road at dawn.)

Idiomatic & Figurative Meanings: Where Fluency Lives

English uses "take off" for abstract concepts like success, speed, or mimicry. Spanish almost never uses despegar for these. Using the wrong verb here is the fastest way to sound like a textbook That alone is useful..

Success & Popularity: Triunfar, Pegar, Explotar

• Triunfar: General success. La banda triunfó en Europa. (The band took off / triumphed in Europe.)
• Pegar: Colloquial for a hit song, trend, or product becoming viral/popular. La canción pegó fuerte en TikTok. (The song really took off on TikTok.)
• Explotar / Estallar: Sudden, explosive growth. Las ventas explotaron en Navidad. (Sales took off / exploded at Christmas.)

Speed & Movement: Acelerar, Salir disparado

If a car "takes off" quickly from a stoplight, it acelera (accelerates) or sale disparado (shoots off) Simple, but easy to overlook. Still holds up..

• El coche salió disparado. (The car took off / shot forward.)

Mimicry: Imitar / Clavar

"She can take off her boss perfectly" (mimic).

• Clava la imitación de su jefe. (She nails / takes off her boss's impression perfectly.)
• Clavar (literally "to nail") is the go-to slang for a perfect impression.

Time Off Work: Tomarse / Cogerse / Pedir + días libres / vacaciones

You cannot "take off work" using a verb of motion. You "take" days Most people skip this — try not to..

• Me voy a tomar unos días libres. (I’m going to take a few days off.)
• Se cogió la semana santa libre. (He took Holy Week off.) — Note: Coger is standard in Spain but has sexual connotations in parts of Latin America (Mexico, Argentina); use tomar or agarrar there.

Discounts: Quitar / Descontar / Rebajar

"The store took 20% off the price."

• Te quito un 20%. (I’ll take 20% off for you.)
• Han rebajado el precio. (They took the price down / reduced it.)

"Take Off" as a Noun: El Despegue

In aviation or business contexts, "the take off" (noun) is el despegue.

• **El despegue fue suave.That's why ** (The take off was smooth. Because of that, )
• **El despegue de la startup fue increíble. ** (The startup's take off / launch was incredible.

Regional Flavors: Spain vs. Latin America

Spanish varies wildly by region. Here is how "take off" (leaving) shifts geographically.