In Spanish, you can say “¡Corre!” or “¡Huye!” to tell someone to run away, with the best choice changing by tone, urgency, and region.
English packs a lot into “run away.” It can be a shout in a dangerous moment, a playful cue in a game, or a firm boundary with a pushy stranger. Spanish has options for each situation. Picking the right one matters, since some sound neutral, some sound harsh, and some sound dramatic.
This article gives you the main ways to say it, how to pronounce them, and when each one feels natural. You’ll get short phrases you can use right away, plus a simple grammar map so you can form your own versions on the fly.
If you’re learning for travel, school, or reading, these choices help you catch the intent fast and reply with confidence when speech is quick.
What “Run Away” Can Mean In Real Speech
Before you pick a phrase, decide what you mean in that moment. Spanish often chooses a different verb depending on the idea behind “run away.”
- Escape from danger: “Get out, escape, flee.”
- Run away fast: “Run, sprint, bolt.”
- Leave right now: “Go away, get lost.”
- Disappear or avoid: “Slip away, get away from me.”
Once you know which meaning you want, the Spanish choice gets easy.
Fastest Ways To Say It (One-Word Commands)
If you need a quick command, Spanish often uses the imperative. These are short and direct.
“¡Corre!”
Meaning: Run! / Run away!
When it fits: Urgent but not dramatic. Great for “Run!” in a hurry, like crossing a street or getting away from something.
Sound: Firm and clear. Not rude by itself.
Pronunciation tip: KOH-rreh (rolled or tapped r, short e at the end).
“¡Huye!”
Meaning: Flee! / Get away!
When it fits: Stronger and more dramatic than “¡Corre!” It points to danger or pursuit.
Sound: Intense, like a warning.
Pronunciation tip: OO-yeh. The h is silent.
“¡Escapa!”
Meaning: Escape!
When it fits: Clear “escape” meaning, like leaving a locked room, a trap, or a bad situation.
Sound: Direct, a bit formal.
Pronunciation tip: eh-SKAH-pah.
“¡Vete!”
Meaning: Go! / Leave! (to one person)
When it fits: You want someone to leave, not necessarily to run. Works for “Go away.”
Sound: Can feel sharp depending on tone.
Pronunciation tip: BEH-teh in Spain, VEH-teh in much of Latin America.
Taking “Run Away” In Spanish With A Natural Modifier
If you want the full sense of “run away” as “run off,” Spanish commonly adds a small phrase. These feel closer to natural speech than a bare verb.
“¡Sal corriendo!”
Meaning: Run out! / Get out running!
When it fits: A strong cue to leave fast, like “Run out of there.” It sounds vivid without being theatrical.
How it works:sal (go out) + corriendo (running).
“¡Corre de aquí!”
Meaning: Run from here! / Run away from here!
When it fits: You want them gone from a specific place.
“¡Aléjate!”
Meaning: Move away! / Back off!
When it fits: Personal space and boundaries. It’s a strong, clean option when someone is too close.
“¡Lárgate!”
Meaning: Get out! / Get lost!
When it fits: Harsh dismissal. Use it only when you mean it, since it can sound rude.
Notice the pattern: if you mean “escape,” you’ll lean on huir or escapar. If you mean “leave,” you’ll lean on irse or largarse. If you mean “run,” you’ll lean on correr.
Table Of Common Choices By Meaning And Tone
Use this as a quick picker. The “Tone” column is about how it usually lands in everyday speech.
| Spanish Phrase | Plain Meaning | Tone And Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| ¡Corre! | Run! | Urgent, neutral; good default for “Run!” |
| ¡Huye! | Flee! | High danger; sounds intense and serious |
| ¡Escapa! | Escape! | Clear “escape” sense; slightly formal |
| ¡Sal corriendo! | Get out running! | Vivid and practical; “Run out of there” |
| ¡Corre de aquí! | Run from here! | Direct; leaving a place fast |
| ¡Vete! | Go away! | Firm; can feel sharp by tone |
| ¡Aléjate! | Move away! | Boundary-setting; “Back off” |
| ¡Lárgate! | Get lost! | Rude; use only when you want a harsh push |
| ¡Escápate! | Get away! | Casual escape; friendly or urgent by tone |
How To Change It For “You” Vs “You All”
Spanish commands change based on who you’re talking to. This is where learners get tripped up, so here’s the clean version.
Talking To One Person (Informal “Tú”)
- Run: ¡Corre!
- Flee: ¡Huye!
- Escape: ¡Escapa! / ¡Escápate!
- Leave: ¡Vete!
- Move away: ¡Aléjate!
Talking To One Person (Formal “Usted”)
Formal commands often end in -e for -ar verbs and -a for -er/-ir verbs.
- Run: ¡Corra!
- Flee: ¡Huya!
- Escape: ¡Escape! / ¡Escápese!
- Leave: ¡Váyase!
- Move away: ¡Aléjese!
Talking To A Group
In Latin America, ustedes is the standard “you all.” In Spain, vosotros is common in casual speech. You don’t need to master both at once.
- Ustedes: ¡Corran! / ¡Huyan! / ¡Váyanse! / ¡Aléjense!
- Vosotros: ¡Corred! / ¡Huid! / ¡Idos! / ¡Alejaos!
If you’re aiming for broad, global Spanish, stick with ustedes forms when speaking to more than one person.
Small Grammar Pieces That Make You Sound Natural
You don’t need heavy grammar to sound good. You just need a few building blocks that show up all the time around “run away” phrases.
Adding Where To Go
Spanish often adds a short location phrase.
- ¡Corre hacia la salida! (Run toward the exit.)
- ¡Sal corriendo por la puerta! (Run out through the door.)
- ¡Aléjate de mí! (Back away from me.)
Adding “Right Now” Without Sounding Stiff
Two common add-ons are ya and ahora mismo. Use one, not both.
- ¡Vete ya!
- ¡Sal corriendo ahora mismo!
Using “Se” In Escape Phrases
Spanish uses irse for “to leave,” and that brings a pronoun with it. That’s why you see vete and váyase. The same idea appears with escaparse, which feels like “get away” more than “escape (a place).”
- ¡Escápate! (Get away!)
- ¡Escápese! (Formal)
Common Situations And The Best Phrase To Use
Here are real-life moments where English speakers say “run away,” with Spanish choices that match the vibe.
Danger Or Threat
If someone needs to escape a risky situation, pick a verb that signals danger, not just speed.
- ¡Huye!
- ¡Sal corriendo!
- ¡Escápate!
Playful Contexts (Kids, Games, Teasing)
In playful speech, “run away” often means “run off.” “¡Corre!” works well, and ¡Corre, vete! can be teasing when said with a smile.
Setting A Boundary
When you want distance, “run away” can sound odd in English, yet it still means “back off.” Spanish has a clean match.
- ¡Aléjate!
- ¡Aléjese! (formal)
Dismissal (You Want Them Gone)
For a firm “go away,” use vete or váyase. Lárgate is much harsher, closer to “get lost.”
Short Sample Sentences You Can Borrow
Commands are common, yet you might want a full sentence. These lines sound natural in many settings.
- ¡Corre, que viene alguien! (Run, someone’s coming!)
- ¡Huye por la puerta de atrás! (Flee through the back door!)
- ¡Sal corriendo y no mires atrás! (Run out and don’t look back!)
- ¡Aléjate de mí ahora! (Back away from me now!)
- Si puedes, escápate en silencio. (If you can, slip away quietly.)
When you’re writing, not speaking, you can swap the command for a narrative verb: salió corriendo (ran out), huyó (fled), se escapó (got away). That’s handy for stories, essays, and dialogue practice.
Pronunciation Notes That Matter More Than Perfection
Spanish pronunciation is consistent. A few small habits will make your “run away” phrases clear even if your accent is still growing.
Tap The R In “Corre”
The rr in corre is a rolled sound for many speakers. If you can’t roll it yet, a strong tap still gets you understood. Don’t freeze up on this one.
Silent H In “Huye”
In huye, the h is silent, and the word starts with a “w” sound moving into “ye.” Many learners over-pronounce the h.
Stress In “Aléjate”
The accent mark shows you where the stress lands: a-LAY-ha-teh. That keeps it from sounding like a flat string of syllables.
Table Of Command Forms You’ll See Most Often
This table shows the most useful command shapes. You can swap the verb you need and keep the same pattern.
| Who You’re Talking To | Run / Flee | Leave / Get Away |
|---|---|---|
| Tú (one person) | ¡Corre! / ¡Huye! | ¡Vete! / ¡Escápate! |
| Usted (one person, formal) | ¡Corra! / ¡Huya! | ¡Váyase! / ¡Escápese! |
| Ustedes (group) | ¡Corran! / ¡Huyan! | ¡Váyanse! / ¡Escápense! |
| Vosotros (group, Spain) | ¡Corred! / ¡Huid! | ¡Idos! / ¡Escapaos! |
| Negative (don’t run) | No corras / No corra | No te vayas / No se vaya |
Common Mistakes And Easy Fixes
These slip-ups are common for English speakers. A small tweak makes your Spanish sound cleaner.
Using “Correr” When You Mean “Leave”
If someone is annoying you and you mean “go away,” saying ¡Corre! can sound like you want them to jog. Use ¡Vete! or ¡Aléjate! instead.
Overusing “Lárgate”
Many learners pick lárgate because it feels strong. Native speakers hear it as harsh. Save it for moments where that harshness matches your intent.
Forgetting The Pronoun In “Irse” Forms
“Go away” is not ve. It’s vete. In formal speech it’s váyase. Those little pronouns carry the meaning.
Mini Practice Drills You Can Do In Two Minutes
Practice out loud. Two minutes is enough to build recall if you do it often.
- Say “¡Corre!” five times, clean and loud, then add “¡Corre de aquí!” five times.
- Say “¡Huye!” five times, then pair it with a reason: “¡Huye, hay peligro!”
- Say “¡Aléjate!” five times, then switch to formal: “¡Aléjese!” five times.
- Say “¡Vete ya!” five times, then switch to group: “¡Váyanse ya!”
If you can recall just three phrases under pressure, make them these: ¡Corre!, ¡Sal corriendo!, and ¡Aléjate!. They cover speed, escape, and distance.
Answering The Keyword Directly
How to Say ‘Run Away’ in Spanish can be as short as ¡Corre! for “Run!” or ¡Huye! for “Flee!”, and you can add de aquí or use ¡Sal corriendo! to sound more natural.
Pick the phrase that matches your goal, say it clearly, and let your tone do the rest. That’s what makes your Spanish land like real speech.