Spanish Conversation · Level 81
60 words
Spanish word
desatender
Pronunciation
IPA/desatenˈdeɾ/
Meaning
- verbneglect
Example
No debes desatender el jardín.
You should not neglect the garden.
More examples
No debes desatender a tu familia por el trabajo.
You shouldn't neglect your family because of your job.
Core concept
A caregiver turning away while tasks pile up on a table.
Common phrases
desatender a la familia
neglect the family
desatender el trabajo
neglect the job
Similar words
descuidar: Neglects care or upkeep through inattention or careless handling.
ignorar: Deliberately pays no attention to a person, message, or request.
olvidar: Forgets to do something, causing required attention to be missed.
abandonar: Leaves a person, place, or responsibility and stops providing support.
Definition in Spanish
Dejar de ocuparse de alguien o algo, es decir, no atender sus necesidades y causar que quede descuidado.
Word origin
Literally 'not attend', from Spanish des- plus atender (from Latin attendere), so the verb expresses failing or stopping to attend to someone's needs.
Usage tips
- In everyday use it frequently appears with people or tasks and normally takes the personal a with a person (desatender a alguien), so avoid using it to mean merely 'ignore briefly'.