Inklingo

How to Say "ulterior motives" in Spanish

The Spanish word forulterior motivesis intencionesB2 level.

English → SpanishB2
when used with adjectives like 'ocultas'
A friendly cartoon fox offering a basket of apples with one hand, while subtly hiding a shiny gold coin behind its fluffy tail with the other, illustrating a hidden motive.

Examples

El camino al infierno está empedrado de buenas intenciones.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. (A common proverb)

Sus intenciones ocultas eran obtener el control de la empresa.

His hidden motives were to gain control of the company.

The Meaning of 'Buenas Intenciones'

In Spanish, saying someone has 'buenas intenciones' often implies that the results of their actions might still be negative, similar to the English proverb about the road to hell.

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