Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| adiós Madrid, que te quedes sin gente | |
| hasta nunca | /ˌasta ˈnunka/ |
| a enemigo que huye, puente de plata | /a eneˌmiɡo ke ˌuʝe | ˌpwente de ˈplata/ |
| cruz y raya | /kɾuθ i ɾaʝa/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /kɾus i ɾaʝa/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
| tanta paz lleves como descanso dejas | /tanta paθ ʝebes komo deskanso dexas/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /tanta pas ʝebes komo deskanso dexas/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
Spanish has many ways to express that a departure or loss is welcome. You might use proverbs like a enemigo que huye, puente de plata to suggest that one should make it easy for an unwanted person or entity to leave.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase hasta nunca literally means "until never".
Which one should you use?
While hasta luego is a standard way to say "see you later", hasta nunca is used to express that you never want to see the person again. For a more proverbial approach to letting an unwanted entity leave easily, use a enemigo que huye, puente de plata. Other options include cruz y raya, tanta paz lleves como descanso dejas or adiós Madrid, que te quedes sin gente.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to speak informally, you can use Por fin se fue to mean "Finally, they're gone" or Menos mal que se fue to mean "Thank goodness they left". The phrase hasta nunca is also a common, blunt and informal way to express 'good riddance' when a person or situation is being dismissed permanently.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the expression ¡Ojalá nunca vuelvas! is used as an aggressive way to say "I hope you never come back."
Related words
Did you know?
- The name Madrid in the phrase adiós Madrid may have evolved from the Arabic word majran, meaning 'channel'.
- In the phrase cruz y raya, the words cruz and raya refer to the act of drawing a cross and a line to signify that a matter is settled and finished.
- The phrase tanta paz lleves como descanso dejas is a polite but cutting way to say 'good riddance' by implying the person's departure brings peace.
Examples in context
- Hasta nunca.Good riddance.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase hasta nunca.Tatoeba #6588083 by arh, translation #8077438 by deniko
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are leaving a city they both hated.
- AlejandroPor fin nos vamos de esta ciudad.We are finally leaving this city.
- ElenaSí, no voy a extrañar nada aquí.Yes, I won't miss anything here.
- AlejandroAdiós Madrid, que te quedes sin gente.Goodbye Madrid, may you be left without people.
- ElenaExacto, ¡estamos libres!Exactly, we are free!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good riddance” translations and entries hasta nunca, a enemigo que huye, puente de plata, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Madrid, adiós, gente, hasta, nunca, que, sin, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
