huir
“huir” means “to flee” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to flee, to escape
Also: to bolt
📝 In Action
Cuando vio el humo, el perro huyó de la casa.
B1When he saw the smoke, the dog fled the house.
Los ladrones huyeron de la escena antes de que llegara la policía.
B2The thieves escaped the scene before the police arrived.
¡Huye antes de que te atrapen!
B1Run away before they catch you!
to avoid, to shun
Also: to shy away from
📝 In Action
Ella siempre huye de las responsabilidades difíciles.
B2She always avoids difficult responsibilities.
El famoso actor huye de la fama y la prensa.
C1The famous actor shuns fame and the press.
No puedes huir de tus problemas para siempre.
B2You can't run away from your problems forever.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: huir
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the 'yo' form of 'huir' in the present tense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *fugere*, meaning 'to flee' or 'to run away.' The Latin 'f' often evolved into the silent 'h' in Spanish, similar to how *filius* became *hijo* (son).
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'huir' sometimes use an 'i' and sometimes a 'y'?
This is an example of a common pattern in Spanish verbs like 'construir' (to build). The 'i' changes to a 'y' (huyo, huyó, huyen) whenever that vowel is unstressed and followed by another vowel, simply because it makes the sound flow more naturally in Spanish.
Is 'huir' transitive or intransitive?
'Huir' is typically used as an intransitive verb, meaning it doesn't take a direct object. Instead, you almost always need the preposition 'de' (from) to specify what is being fled or avoided.