te perseguiré
/te peɾseɡiɾe/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I will hunt you down" is translated into Spanish as te perseguiré.
This phrase is used as a threat to tell someone that you will search for them until you find them.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the direct object pronoun te (you) and the future tense of perseguir (to pursue/chase).
Which one should you use?
While te perseguiré is a direct way to say "I will pursue you", you can also use the periphrastic construction te voy a perseguir to mean "I am going to hunt you down".
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are addressing someone formally using usted, you must change the pronoun from te to lo or la (e.g., lo perseguiré). To change the subject from "I" to "they", use the third-person plural form te perseguirán (They will hunt you down).
How do you pronounce it?
/te peɾseɡiɾe/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the phrase perseguir is used colloquially to describe someone who is flirting aggressively or 'chasing' a romantic interest.
- The verb perseguir can also be used in a legal sense to mean 'to prosecute'. A lawyer might use it when discussing the legal pursuit of a criminal rather than a physical chase.
- While te perseguiré is a direct threat, adding the word hasta (until) to create te perseguiré hasta el fin del mundo is a common cliché in Spanish soap operas and dramatic literature.
Examples in context
- No importa dónde te escondas, te perseguiré.It doesn't matter where you hide, I will hunt you down.
- Si te llevas mi dinero, te perseguiré.If you take my money, I will hunt you down.
- Te perseguiré hasta que te encuentre.I will hunt you down until I find you.
Example conversation
Two rivals are arguing in a dark alleyway.
- Alejandro¡Vas a pagar por lo que hiciste!You are going to pay for what you did!
- ElenaNo podrás encontrarme, Alejandro.You won't be able to find me, Alejandro.
- AlejandroNo me importa, te perseguiré.I don't care, I will hunt you down.
- Elena¡Buena suerte intentándolo!Good luck trying!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
