How to Say "payback" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “payback” is “represalia” — B2 level.
Examples
El país vecino prometió tomar represalias por el ataque.
The neighboring country promised to take reprisals for the attack.
Muchos testigos no hablan por temor a las represalias.
Many witnesses do not speak for fear of retaliation.
La empresa despidió al empleado como represalia por la huelga.
The company fired the employee as retaliation for the strike.
Usually plural
While 'represalia' exists in singular, it is almost always used in its plural form 'represalias' when talking about actions taken against someone.
Used with 'tomar'
In Spanish, you don't 'do' or 'make' a reprisal; you 'take' it using the verb 'tomar'.
Confusing with 'venganza'
Mistake: “Using 'represalia' for a small personal argument.”
Correction: Use 'represalia' for formal contexts (work, politics, war). Use 'venganza' for personal or emotional revenge.
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.