ni en sueños
/ˌni en ˈsweɲos/
The English phrase "in your dreams" can be translated into Spanish as ni en sueños. Wiktionary also lists ni por sueños.
Meaning: in your dreams (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| ni en sueños | /ˌni en ˈsweɲos/ |
| ni por sueños | /ni poɾ sweɲos/ (from spelling rules) |
Spanish speakers use ni en sueños as an interjection to express that something is completely impossible or highly unlikely. While the English "in your dreams" is often used as a sarcastic dismissal, the Spanish ni en sueños is more emphatic, functioning like "not even in your wildest dreams".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ni en sueños literally translates to "not even in dreams".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌni en ˈsweɲos/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word sueño is an example of a double meaning, as it refers to both the images seen while sleeping and the feeling of sleepiness or drowsiness.
- If you want to sound even more dismissive, you can use the phrase ni de broma, which literally means 'not even as a joke'.
- The word ni shares a common ancestor with the English word 'neither', tracing back to the same Proto-Indo-European root.
Examples in context
- ¡Ni en sueños!In your dreams!This sentence is useful for seeing how to use ni en sueños as an interjection.Tatoeba #4508628 by cueyayotl, translation #2221098 by Hybrid
- En tus sueñosIn your dreams
- Ni en sueñosNot even in dreams
- Ni de bromaNot even joking
- Ni en sueños te daré ese dinero.In your dreams will I give you that money.
- ¿Vas a ganar el torneo? ¡Ni en sueños!Are you going to win the tournament? In your dreams!
Example conversation
Daniel asks Sofía for a favor she will not do.
- Daniel¿Me prestarías tu coche nuevo?Would you lend me your new car?
- Sofía¡Ni en sueños, Daniel!In your dreams, Daniel!
- DanielSolo sería por un día.It would only be for one day.
- SofíaLa respuesta sigue siendo no.The answer is still no.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “in your dreams” translations and entries ni en sueños, 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 en, ni, ni en sueños, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
