How to Say "ulterior motives" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “ulterior motives” is “intenciones” — B2 level.
English → SpanishB2
nounB2
when used with adjectives like 'ocultas'

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.
Related Translations
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