relajarse
/relaxaɾse/from spelling rules
To chill out in Spanish is to relajarse.
The verb relajarse means to relax or take time out. You might also use tranquilizarse to mean calm down, which is specifically used when someone needs to settle their emotions or nerves.
Meaning: relax or take time out (verb)
Which one should you use?
While relajarse focuses on physical or mental relaxation, tranquilizarse is often used when someone needs to calm their emotions or nerves.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In informal settings, you can tell a friend to chill out by using the imperative relájate. You can also say relájate to mean relax or chill out. Another informal way to express this is tómate las cosas con calma, which means to take things easy or take it easy.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you might hear the phrase Cálmate to tell someone to chill out.
How does it change in a sentence?
relajarse is a reflexive verb, meaning you must use reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) when conjugating it.
How do you pronounce it?
/relaxaɾse/
Did you know?
- The Spanish language has a distinct word, sobremesa, for the act of relaxing and chatting at the table after a meal has ended.
- In many Latin American countries, if someone is being too aggressive or intense, you might hear the slang term bajale dos rayitas to tell them to 'chill out' or 'lower it two notches'.
- In some contexts, instead of 'relaxing', people might use the verb desconectar, which literally means 'to disconnect', much like disconnecting a machine from a power source.
Examples in context
- Por favor, relájatePlease, relax
- Por favor, mantén la calmaPlease, keep calm
- Relájate, no pasa nadaRelax, it's not a big deal
- Tómate las cosas con calma, no te preocupes tantoTake it easy, don't worry too much
- Es importante relajarse después del trabajo.It is important to relax after work.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a stressful week.
- SofíaAlejandro, estás muy estresado hoy.Alejandro, you are very stressed today.
- AlejandroSí, he tenido mucho trabajo.Yes, I have had a lot of work.
- SofíaDeberías relajarse y escuchar música.You should chill out and listen to music.
- AlejandroTienes razón, voy a hacerlo.You are right, I am going to do that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry relajarse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
