desengañar

to disillusion

desengañar(dehs-ehng-gah-nyahr)

transitive verb

1. (to let down)

a. to disillusion

Mis padres me desengañaron al decirme que jamás me convertiría en un mago famoso.

My parents disillusioned me when they told me I would never become a famous magician.

b. to disappoint

El paisaje me desengañó. Se veía mejor en las fotografías.

I was disappointed by the landscape. It looked better in the pictures.

2. (to reveal the truth to)

a. to open the eyes of

Mis padres me desengañaron y me confesaron que soy adoptado.

My parents opened my eyes and confessed to me that I'm adopted.

b. to set straight

Tenemos que desengañar a Samuel. El pobre sigue creyendo que va a compartir un apartamento con nosotros.

We need to set Samuel straight. The poor guy still thinks he's going to share an apartment with us.

desengañarse

pronominal verb

3. (to become disappointed)

a. to become disillusioned

Lucas se desengañó y dejó de ir al entrenamiento de fútbol.

Lucas became disillusioned and stopped going to soccer practice.

b. to stop kidding oneself

¡Desengáñate! Jamás lograrás convertirte en millonario.

Stop kidding yourself! You'll never become a millionaire.

4. (to see the truth)

a. to see the light

Los votantes se desengañaron y no volvieron a votar al político corrupto.

The voters saw the light and didn't vote for the corrupt politician again.

b. to see things as they really are

En mi familia hay muchas peleas. Me desengañé recién cuando me convertí en adulto.

My family fights a lot. I've only recently seen things as they really are since I've grown up.

c. to wise up

(colloquial)

¡Desengáñate! Marcelo es un vividor que solo está contigo por tu dinero.

Wise up! Marcelo is a freeloader who's only with you for your money.