dejar

One of the most common and versatile Spanish verbs: to leave something or someone behind, to let or allow (dejar que, dejar + infinitive), or to stop doing something (dejar de + infinitive). Learners often need to consciously separate its three main uses, since English "leave," "let," and "quit" map onto this single Spanish verb.

• Dejé las llaves sobre la mesa. — I left the keys on the table.
• Mis padres no me dejan salir tarde. — My parents don't let me go out late.
• Dejó de fumar hace un año. — He quit smoking a year ago.

Learners confuse dejar (to leave something behind, or to let) with salir (to leave/exit a place) — 'dejé la fiesta' sounds like you left the party behind as an object, when 'salí de la fiesta' is what you mean if you exited it.

Often confused with salir.

• song No Puedo Dejarte de Amar — A well-known romantic ballad by Reik featuring Kalimba, built around the phrase "dejar de" + infinitive (to stop doing something) in its chorus and title.