me voy
/me boi/from spelling rules
In Spanish, me voy is used to say "I am leaving".
The phrase me voy is a way to say "I am leaving" in Spanish. It is used to announce that you are departing from a place. If you want to convey that you are about to depart, you can use Estoy de salida. To specifically say "I am about to leave," you can use Estoy por irme. If you want to say "I'm getting out of here," use Me voy de aquí.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a reflexive construction where me (myself) is paired with voy (I go) to indicate the act of departing.
Which one should you use?
While me voy focuses on the act of departing or setting off, the verb salgo (I exit/leave) focuses more on the physical act of exiting a building or a specific space.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The expression Me piro is more commonly used in Spain. In some Latin American countries, Ya me retiro is used to express that you are leaving.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the present tense to express an action that is about to happen or is currently in progress, similar to the English present continuous "I am leaving". To say "we are leaving," change the pronoun and verb conjugation to nos vamos.
Did you know?
- The word voy comes from the Latin vadere, which meant 'to walk' or 'to go'. This Latin root is also the ancestor of the English word 'evade'.
- Spanish speakers often add the word ya to the front of me voy to create ya me voy. This doesn't just mean 'I am leaving now' but can signal that the speaker has already made the decision to leave.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying me voy while physically standing up and grabbing your keys is a way of signaling the departure is already happening, even before you speak.
Examples in context
- Me voy la semana que viene.I am leaving next week.This sentence is useful for mentioning when you are leaving.Tatoeba #2747056 by Shishir, translation #262147 by CK
- Me voy de la ciudad por un par de días.I am leaving town for a few days.This sentence is useful for saying you are leaving a city for a short time.Tatoeba #1337593 by marcelostockle, translation #271061 by CK
- Me voy a las cuatro.I am leaving at four.This sentence is useful for stating the specific time you are leaving.Tatoeba #1757172 by Uvulaofdoom, translation #72584 by CK
- Lo siento, pero me voy ahora.I'm sorry, but I am leaving now.
- Estoy de salida, así que nos vemos mañana.I am leaving, so I'll see you tomorrow.
- Disculpa, pero estoy por irme, así que no puedo quedarme más tiempo.I'm sorry, but I am about to leave, so I can't stay any longer.
- ¡Bueno, me piro! Hasta mañana, colegas.Alright, I'm leaving! See you tomorrow, pals.
- Paola, fue un gusto conversar contigo. Ya me retiro.Paola, it was nice talking with you. I am leaving now.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are standing near the office exit at the end of the day.
- DanielYa es tarde, me voy.It is late, I am leaving.
- MaríaEstá bien, Daniel, nos vemos mañana.Okay, Daniel, see you tomorrow.
- DanielQue tengas una buena noche, María.Have a good night, María.
- MaríaIgualmente, ¡hasta mañana!You too, see you tomorrow!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, voy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
