A small person running rapidly across a grassy field, looking back nervously as they flee.

huye

OO-yeh

Verb (Conjugation)B1irregular (y-insertion) ir

flees?He/She/It flees (Present Tense),runs away?He/She/It runs away (Present Tense),escape!?Informal command (Tú Imperative)

Also:avoids?Figurative meaning: He/She avoids a situation,get out!?Informal command

Quick Reference

past Participlehuido

infinitivehuir

gerundhuyendo

📝 In Action

El perro **huye** del ruido fuerte de los fuegos artificiales.

The dog **runs away** from the loud noise of the fireworks.

Ella siempre **huye** de los problemas en lugar de enfrentarlos.

She always **avoids** problems instead of facing them.

¡Si ves al oso, **huye**! ¡No te quedes ahí!

If you see the bear, **flee**! Don't stay there!

Usted **huye** de la ciudad cada vez que hay vacaciones.

You (formal) **escape** the city every time there are holidays.

Word Connections

Synonyms

escapar (to escape)
fugarse (to run away/break out)

Antonyms

afrontar (to face/confront)
permanecer (to stay/remain)

Common Collocations

huir del peligro – to flee from danger
huir de la realidad – to escape reality

💡 Grammar Points

Two Roles for 'Huye'

'Huye' has two main jobs: it means 'he/she/it flees' or 'you (formal) flee' in the present tense, AND it is the informal command 'Flee!' directed at a friend ('tú').

The 'Y' Irregularity

The base verb 'huir' (to flee) is irregular because it adds a 'y' when the stress falls on the stem, turning 'ui' into 'uy' (huyo, huyes, huye). This 'y' sound helps the word flow better.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Missing the Preposition 'De'

Mistake: "Huye la casa."

Correction: **Huye de** la casa. (He flees **from** the house). The verb 'huir' almost always needs the preposition 'de' (from) to show what is being escaped.

⭐ Usage Tips

Fleeing vs. Escaping

While 'huir' means 'to flee,' it is commonly used figuratively to mean 'to avoid' or 'to shirk' responsibility or problems, making it useful in conversational Spanish.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: huye

Question 1 of 1

Which of these sentences uses 'huye' as a direct command?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

huida(flight/escape (noun)) - noun

fugitivo(fugitive) - adjective/noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the verb 'huir' change from 'ui' to 'uy' in the present tense?

This is a common pattern for verbs ending in '-uir' (like *construir* or *destruir*). The 'y' is inserted to separate the vowels and make the word easier to pronounce when the stress falls on that part of the word (for 'yo', 'tú', 'él/ella/usted', and 'ellos/ellas/ustedes').

Is 'huye' the same as 'vete'?

They are similar commands, but 'huye' (from *huir*) strongly implies running away from danger or escaping something bad. 'Vete' (from *ir*) is a more general command meaning 'go away' or 'leave.'