How to Say "go away" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “go away” is “vete” — use this informal command when telling one person to leave your immediate vicinity, often with urgency or annoyance.
Use this informal command when telling one person to leave your immediate vicinity, often with urgency or annoyance.
Learn more →Use this when telling someone to physically distance themselves from you or a specific location, often implying a need for safety or to stop an action.
Learn more →This is the command form used when telling a group of people (ustedes) to leave a place, such as a room or a gathering.
Learn more →This is the infinitive form and means 'to leave' or 'to go away'. It's used in constructions like 'quiero irme' (I want to go away) or when conjugated as a command like 'vete' or 'váyanse'.
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Use this to indicate that you or a group are departing from a place, often with a sense of moving on or traveling.
Learn more →Use this formal command when telling one person (usted) to leave, typically in professional or respectful contexts.
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This translation is less about a person leaving and more about something ceasing to exist or be visible, often used in a subjunctive or wishful context.
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This is the informal command for telling a group of people (vosotros) to leave a place, primarily used in Spain.
Learn more →BEH-tehˈbe.te
Examples
¡Vete de aquí ahora mismo!
Get out of here right now!
Mamá, ¿ya me puedo ir? —Sí, vete, pero con cuidado.
Mom, can I go now? —Yes, go on, but be careful.
Si no te gusta el partido, pues vete a casa.
If you don't like the game, well, go home.
Two Words in One: `ve` + `te`
‘Vete’ is actually two small words squished together: ve (the command 'go') and te ('yourself'). In Spanish, when you give a positive command and use a word like 'me', 'you', or 'it', you attach it directly to the end of the verb.
Confusing `ve` (Go) and `vete` (Go away)
Mistake: “To give directions, you might say: 'Cuando llegues a la esquina, vete a la derecha.'”
Correction: The correct way is: 'Cuando llegues a la esquina, ve a la derecha.' Use `ve` for simple directions ('go'). Use `vete` only when you mean 'go away' or 'leave a place'.
aléjate
Examples
¡Aléjate de mí! No te acerques.
Get away from me! Don't come near.
váyanse
Examples
Ya es tarde. Recojan sus cosas y váyanse a casa.
It's already late. Gather your things and go home.
Examples
Me voy de aquí ahora.
I'm leaving here now.
mar-CHARmaɾˈtʃaɾ
Examples
Nos marchamos después de la cena para no molestar.
We left after dinner so as not to bother anyone.
¿A qué hora te vas a marchar mañana?
What time are you going to leave tomorrow?
The Power of 'Se'
When you add 'se' (or 'me', 'te', 'nos', etc.) to 'marchar', you create 'marcharse'. This emphasizes the action is done by the subject to themselves, focusing on the act of separating from a place, like saying 'to move oneself away'.
Marchar vs. Marcharse
Mistake: “Using 'Yo marcho de la fiesta' (I march from the party).”
Correction: Say 'Yo me marcho de la fiesta'. Using the reflexive form 'marcharse' is necessary when you mean 'to leave' or 'to go away'.
váyase
Examples
Señor, váyase de aquí inmediatamente.
Sir, go away from here immediately.
deh-sah-pah-REHS-kahdesapaˈɾeska
Examples
Espero que la mancha desaparezca después de lavarla.
I hope the stain disappears after washing it.
Dudo que el problema desaparezca por sí solo.
I doubt the problem will disappear on its own.
¡Por favor, desaparezca de mi vista!
Please, get out of my sight!
The 'Maybe' or 'Wish' Form
Desaparezca is the form you use when you aren't stating a fact. Instead, you're talking about a wish, a doubt, or a possibility (this is often called the 'subjunctive mood').
The Hidden 'Z'
Verbs like 'desaparecer' change their spelling to include a 'z' before the 'c' when they end in an 'a' sound. This helps keep the pronunciation consistent.
Using 'desaparece' after 'Espero que'
Mistake: “Espero que desaparece.”
Correction: Espero que desaparezca. Use the 'z-c-a' ending because 'hope' triggers the 'wish/doubt' form.
ee-rossiˈɾos
Examples
¡Iros a vuestra habitación ahora mismo!
Go to your room right now (you all)!
Si estáis cansados, iros a dormir.
If you all are tired, go to sleep.
Chicos, iros con cuidado a casa.
Guys, get home safely.
The Rule Breaker
Most 'you all' commands drop the 'd' to add 'os' (like 'lavad' becomes 'lavaos'). 'Iros' is special because it keeps the 'r' to make it easier to say.
You All (Informal)
This word is only used when talking to a group of people you are friendly with (friends, family, kids).
The Old Way
Mistake: “Using 'idos' or 'íos' in modern conversation.”
Correction: Use 'iros'. While 'idos' was technically the rule for a long time, 'iros' is now the officially accepted form by language experts because that's what everyone actually says.
Informal vs. Formal Commands
The most common mistake is using informal commands like 'vete' or 'aléjate' with people you should address formally (usted or ustedes). Always consider your relationship with the person and the context before choosing an informal command.
Related Translations
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