me engañó
/me enɡaɲo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "he cheated on me" is translated into Spanish as me engañó.
This phrase is used to state that a person in a romantic relationship had a secret sexual or emotional affair with someone else. While the verb engañar can generally mean to deceive or to lie to someone, in the context of a romantic relationship, it is the standard way to express infidelity.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and parts of Central America, the expression me puso el cuerno is used. In Spain, you can use me ha sido infiel or me fue infiel to express that he cheated on me.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb engañó is in the third-person singular preterite, which means the subject of the sentence can be either él (he) or ella (she).
How do you pronounce it?
/me enɡaɲo/
Did you know?
- The Mexican idiom me puso el cuerno literally translates to 'he put the horn on me'. This refers to the ancient belief that cuckolds grow horns on their heads that only they cannot see.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, a person who has been cheated on is called a cornudo, which directly relates to the 'horns' mentioned in the phrase me puso el cuerno.
- While me engañó means 'he cheated on me', the verb engañar is also used to describe a 'trick' or a 'scam' in business or gambling, meaning the same root applies to both romantic and financial betrayal.
Examples in context
- Él me engañó.He cheated on me.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase me engañó.Tatoeba #739409 by Shishir, translation #1750140 by Spamster
- Estoy devastada, me engañó con mi mejor amiga.I'm devastated, he cheated on me with my best friend.
- No puedo creer que me fue infiel.I can't believe he was unfaithful to me.
- No puedo creer que me engañó con su ex.I can't believe he cheated on me with his ex.
- Me dolió mucho cuando me engañó.It hurt me a lot when he cheated on me.
Example conversation
Maria is talking to Javier about her ex-boyfriend.
- JavierPor qué terminaste con tu novio?Why did you break up with your boyfriend?
- MaríaRompimos porque me engañó.We broke up because he cheated on me.
- JavierLo siento mucho, María.I'm very sorry, Maria.
- MaríaGracias, Javier. Necesitaba contarlo.Thank you, Javier. I needed to tell someone.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
