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"Malgastar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to waste", and "derrochar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to squander". Learn more about the difference between "malgastar" and "derrochar" below.
malgastar(
mahl
-
gahs
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (misuse)
a. to waste
No malgastes agua, Sebas. Cierra la llave, por favor.Don't waste water, Sebas. Turn off the faucet, please.
No malgastes tu tiempo con él. No está buscando una relación seria.Don't waste your time on him. He's not looking for anything serious.
b. to squander
Podríamos habernos ido de vacaciones si no hubieses malgastado nuestro dinero en ropa.We could have gone on vacation if you hadn't squandered our money on clothes.
derrochar(
deh
-
rroh
-
chahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to use up)
a. to squander (money)
Daniela derrochó su herencia y ahora no tiene nada.Daniela squandered her inheritance, and now she has nothing left.
El nieto del magnate derrochó la fortuna de su familia.The mogul's grandson squandered his family's fortune.
b. to waste (money, resources or water)
El gobierno ha derrochado recursos públicos en inversiones inútiles.The government has wasted public resources on useless investments.
a. to radiate
Jessica derrocha alegría dondequiera que va.Jessica radiates happiness wherever she goes.
c. to ooze
El tío Alejandro derrocha buen humor. Siempre nos hace reír.Uncle Alejandro oozes good humor. He's always making us laugh.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to throw away money
Paulina ha estado derrochando irresponsablemente.Paulina has been throwing away money quite irresponsibly.
b. to squander money
No gano mucho y por eso es importante no derrochar.I don't earn a lot so it's important not to squander money.
c. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Hoy vamos a ir de compras y vamos a derrochar sin preocuparnos.Today we're going shopping and we're not going to worry about what we spend.
¿En qué derrochas tanto?What do you spend all this money on?
