Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cómo te atreves | /komo te atɾebes/ (from spelling rules) | informal, singular |
| cómo se atreve | /komo se atɾebe/ (from spelling rules) | informal, singular |
| cómo se atreven | /komo se atɾeben/ (from spelling rules) | plural |
This phrase is used to express indignation and shock at another person's action.
Which one should you use?
The choice of phrase depends on who you are addressing. Use cómo te atreves when addressing someone you know well or are on a first-name basis with. Use cómo se atreve to express indignation toward someone you are addressing using the formal usted, which shows distance. Use cómo se atreven when addressing a group of two or more people.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
cómo te atreves and cómo se atreve are both marked as informal, though cómo se atreve is used for formal address.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form cómo se atreve is used to express indignation toward someone you are addressing using the formal usted. The form cómo se atreven is used when addressing a group of two or more people.
Did you know?
- In a heated argument, using the formal cómo se atreve instead of the informal version can actually increase the sense of cold, sharp indignation by creating more social distance.
- Although the phrase is used for anger, in very close friendships it can be used ironically to tease someone for a minor social faux pas.
- In high-drama contexts like telenovelas, cómo se atreve is often delivered with a dramatic pause after cómo to maximize the emotional impact.
Examples in context
- ¿Cómo te atreves a decir eso?How dare you say that?This sentence is useful for asking how someone dares to say something.Tatoeba #1076353 by hayastan, translation #16342 by Zifre
- ¿Cómo te atreves a hablar así?How dare you speak like that!This sentence is useful for asking how someone dares to speak a certain way.Tatoeba #6627176 by UsuarioX, translation #16340 by Swift
- ¿Cómo te atreves a hablarme así?How dare you speak like that to me?Tatoeba #475351 by Shishir, translation #29969 by qdii
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A living room after Alejandro says something rude to María.
- María¡Cómo te atreves!How dare you!
- AlejandroSolo estoy siendo sincero.I am only being sincere.
- MaríaNo tienes derecho a ser tan grosero.You have no right to be so rude.
- AlejandroLo siento, no quería molestarte.I am sorry, I did not want to upset you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how dare you” translations, 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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
