Forgoing in Spanish | Natural Ways To Say It

Most often, you’ll translate “forgoing” as “renunciar a” or “prescindir de,” based on whether you’re giving up a right or doing without something.

“Forgoing” is one of those English words that sounds simple until you try to say it in Spanish. In English, it can mean giving something up on purpose, skipping something, waiving a right, or choosing not to take a step. Spanish expresses those ideas with different verbs, and picking the wrong one can make your sentence feel off.

This article shows you the natural Spanish options for forgoing in Spanish, how to match each one to the exact meaning you want, and how to avoid the most common translation traps. You’ll get clean patterns you can reuse, plus sentence-ready phrasing that sounds like something a real speaker would say.

What “Forgoing” Means In Plain English

Before you translate, pin down the intent. In English, “forgo” (or “forgo doing something”) usually lands in one of these buckets:

• Giving up a right or claim (waiving a benefit, surrendering a privilege).
• Doing without something (choosing not to have or use an item).
• Skipping an action (not doing a step, leaving out a part).
• Passing on an option (choosing not to take an opportunity).

Spanish has distinct “default” verbs for these. Once you map the meaning, the translation gets easy.

Forgoing in Spanish With The Two Main Choices

If you only learn two Spanish options, learn these: renunciar a and prescindir de. They cover most real-life uses of “forgo.” The difference is what you’re giving up.

Renunciar A For Waiving Rights, Claims, Or Benefits

Renunciar a means giving up something you could claim, keep, or receive. It fits waiving a right, relinquishing a position, or refusing a benefit you’re entitled to.

Pattern:

• renunciar a + noun (renunciar a un derecho, renunciar a una beca)
• renunciar a + infinitive (renunciar a cobrar, renunciar a participar)

Natural sentence shapes:

• Renuncié a la indemnización.
• Ella renunció a su puesto.
• Renunciaron a presentar una reclamación.

If you want a reference anchor for meaning and usage, the RAE entry for “renunciar” is a solid baseline for definitions and typical constructions.

Prescindir De For Doing Without An Item, Feature, Or Convenience

Prescindir de means you manage without something. You’re not “waiving a right”; you’re choosing not to use, include, or rely on an item or feature.

Pattern:

• prescindir de + noun (prescindir de azúcar, prescindir del coche)
• poder prescindir de + noun (you can do without it)

Natural sentence shapes:

• Podemos prescindir del postre hoy.
• Prescindí del coche y fui en metro.
• En esta receta se puede prescindir del huevo.

For a definition check, see the RAE entry for “prescindir”, which reflects standard Spanish usage and meanings.

How To Pick The Right Verb In One Step

Use this quick decision rule:

• If it’s a right, claim, benefit, title, or entitlement, use renunciar a.
• If it’s an item, ingredient, feature, habit convenience, or tool, use prescindir de.

Now add a nuance check: are you skipping a step (not doing it at all), or doing without a thing (continuing, just without it)? Skipping a step often calls for omitir or saltar(se).

Omitir When You Leave Something Out

Omitir is “to omit.” It fits instructions, forms, lists, and processes where something is intentionally left out.

• Omití mi segundo apellido en el formulario.
• Puedes omitir este paso si no tienes batidora.

English “forgo” sometimes leans close to “omit.” If you want the English baseline meaning for “forgo,” you can cross-check with Merriam-Webster’s definition of “forgo” to see the range of senses that may need different Spanish verbs.

Saltar Or Saltarse When You Skip Something

Saltar can mean “to jump,” yet in daily speech it’s common for “skipping” content. Saltarse is especially common for skipping steps, meals, lines, rules, or parts of a routine.

• Me salté el desayuno.
• Se saltaron la fila.
• No te saltes el calentamiento.

Use saltarse when “forgo” carries a “skipping” vibe, not a “doing without” vibe.

Common Scenarios And The Spanish That Sounds Natural

“Forgoing” shows up in a handful of repeat contexts. Here’s how Spanish speakers tend to express each one with the least friction.

Forgoing A Dessert, Treat, Or Add-On

If you’re doing without an item, prescindir de fits well. In casual speech, you’ll often hear simpler turns too:

• Hoy paso del postre. (very colloquial: “I’ll pass on dessert.”)
• Hoy prescindo del postre. (more neutral)
• Hoy no tomo postre. (simple and common)

Forgoing A Right, Claim, Or Payment

Use renunciar a for rights, claims, compensation, or benefits:

• Renunció a su derecho a apelar.
• Renunciaron a la compensación.
• He renunciado a reclamar el reembolso.

Forgoing A Step In Instructions

In procedures, “forgo” often means “skip” or “omit.” These are the clean options:

• Puedes omitir este paso.
• Puedes saltarte este paso.
• Si tienes prisa, puedes pasar esta parte.

Forgoing An Opportunity

When you pass on something available, Spanish often uses dejar pasar, rechazar, or no aprovechar:

• Dejé pasar la oferta.
• Rechazó la invitación.
• No aproveché la ocasión.

Forgoing Food Or Drink For A Set Period

For abstaining, Spanish uses abstenerse de in formal contexts and simpler everyday phrasing in casual speech:

• Me abstuve de comer dulces esta semana.
• Esta semana no como dulces.

In formal registers, RAE’s entry for “abstenerse” is useful for confirming typical constructions like “abstenerse de + infinitivo.”

Register Matters: Formal Vs. Everyday Spanish

Spanish gives you choices that feel more legal, more technical, or more casual. Picking the register keeps your sentence from sounding stiff or oddly dramatic.

More Formal Options

• renunciar a (waive, relinquish)
• prescindir de (do without)
• omitir (omit)
• abstenerse de (abstain)

More Everyday Options

• pasar de (pass on; informal)
• no tomar / no comer / no usar (simple and common)
• saltarse (skip)
• dejar pasar (let an opportunity go)

If you’re writing for a broad Spanish-speaking audience, the safest path is neutral standard Spanish. The Instituto Cervantes Spanish learning pages are a good reference point for standard usage norms and learner-friendly explanations.

Meaning Map: Pick A Translation That Matches The Intent

Use this table as a fast matcher between what you mean in English and what Spanish commonly says. It’s designed to stop the “one-word translation” mistake.

What You Mean In English	Spanish That Fits	When It Sounds Right
Waive a right or entitlement	renunciar a	Claims, rights, benefits, positions, payments
Do without an item or feature	prescindir de	Ingredients, tools, conveniences, add-ons
Leave a step out of instructions	omitir	Procedures, forms, lists, technical steps
Skip a step, meal, or line	saltarse	Everyday “skip” situations, routines
Pass on an offer or chance	dejar pasar	Opportunities you could take but don’t
Refuse an invitation or option	rechazar	Declining offers, invites, proposals
Abstain from doing something	abstenerse de	Formal tone, rules, commitments
“I’ll pass on that” (casual)	paso de / no, gracias	Spoken, relaxed settings
Choose not to use something	no usar / no tomar	Plain phrasing that fits almost anywhere

Grammar Patterns That Keep Your Spanish Clean

Once you choose the verb, the rest is structure. These patterns are the ones you’ll reuse most.

Renunciar A + Noun Or Infinitive

Spanish uses a after renunciar. Don’t drop it.

• Renunciar a un derecho
• Renunciar a participar

Prescindir De + Noun

Prescindir takes de. Use del with a masculine singular noun that starts with “el.”

• Prescindir de azúcar
• Prescindir del coche

Omitir + Direct Object

Omitir usually takes a direct object with no preposition.

• Omitir el paso final
• Omitir un dato

Saltarse + Direct Object

Saltarse also takes a direct object.

• Saltarse una comida
• Saltarse un paso

Common Mistakes And Quick Fixes

These are the errors that make Spanish readers pause, even if they still understand you.

Mistake: Using “abandonar” For Everything

Abandonar can mean “abandon” or “leave behind.” It often sounds too heavy for “forgo dessert” or “forgo a feature.” Fix: use prescindir de, pasar de, or a plain verb like no tomar.

Mistake: Treating “renunciar” Like “give up doing” Without Context

Renunciar a works well when there’s a right, benefit, or claim. If you’re talking about skipping steps or doing without items, it can sound too legal. Fix: switch to omitir, saltarse, or prescindir de.

Mistake: Forgetting The Prepositions

These are non-negotiable in standard Spanish:

• renunciar a
• prescindir de
• abstenerse de

Mini Cheat Sheet For Writing And Speaking

Use this as a quick reference when you’re mid-email, mid-translation, or mid-conversation and just want the right phrasing without overthinking it.

Verb Or Phrase	Go-To Forms	Best Fit
renunciar a	renuncio a / renuncié a / he renunciado a	Waiving rights, quitting roles, refusing benefits
prescindir de	prescindo de / prescindí de / se puede prescindir de	Doing without items, ingredients, features
omitir	omito / omití / puedes omitir	Leaving steps or details out of a process
saltarse	me salto / me salté / no te saltes	Skipping steps, meals, lines, parts of a routine
dejar pasar	dejo pasar / dejé pasar / la dejé pasar	Passing on an offer or chance
pasar de	paso de eso / paso del postre	Casual “I’ll pass” in speech
abstenerse de	me abstengo de / me abstuve de	Formal abstaining from actions

Polished Sentence Templates You Can Reuse

Swap the bracketed parts and you’ve got natural Spanish that fits real contexts.

• Renuncio a [este derecho / esta compensación / esta ventaja].
• He renunciado a [participar / reclamar / continuar].
• Puedo prescindir de [azúcar / esta función / el coche].
• En esta receta se puede prescindir de [la mantequilla / el huevo].
• Puedes omitir [este paso / este dato] si [condición].
• No te saltes [el calentamiento / la verificación].
• Dejé pasar [la oferta / la ocasión] porque [motivo].

If you want to keep your Spanish neutral across regions, lean on the standard verbs in the tables, then keep the rest of the sentence plain. That’s usually the sweet spot for clarity.

Quick Self-Check Before You Hit Send

Run these three checks and you’ll avoid nearly every awkward “forgo” translation:

1. Is it a right or benefit? Use renunciar a.
2. Is it an item or feature? Use prescindir de.
3. Is it a step or action you’re skipping? Use omitir or saltarse.

That’s it. Spanish doesn’t need one perfect mirror word for “forgo.” It needs the right verb for the job.