nunca te rindas
/nunka te ɾindas/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'never back down' is translated into Spanish as nunca te rindas.
This phrase is used to encourage someone to keep fighting or to refuse to give up when facing a difficult situation. While it literally translates to 'never surrender,' it is the most natural way to express the sentiment of 'never back down' in Spanish. You can also say no te rindas nunca to convey the same meaning by placing the negation at the start of the phrase.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of nunca (never), te (yourself) and rindas (surrender/give up).
Which one should you use?
For a formal context, use nunca se rinda. To address a group of people, use the plural form nunca se rindan. Additionally, the colloquial expression Jamás echarse para atrás means 'never back off,' while the formal Jamás ceder means 'never yield.'
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the idiomatic expression Nunca dar el brazo a torcer is used to mean 'never give in.'
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the subjunctive mood (rindas) to express an imperative, command or exhortation.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the spirit of 'never backing down' is captured by the word garra, which literally means 'claw' but describes a fierce, tenacious resilience.
- The idiomatic version used in Spain, Nunca dar el brazo a torcer, literally translates to 'never give the arm to twist', which creates a vivid image of physical resistance.
- The word nunca is a descendant of the Latin numquam, which was formed by combining the negation ne and the word umquam, meaning 'at any time'.
Examples in context
- He prometido nunca rendirme en mi lucha por la justiciaI have promised to never give up in my fight for justice
- No voy a retroceder jamás, seguiré adelante cueste lo que cuesteI will never step back, I will keep moving forward no matter what
- Nunca te rindas ante las dificultades.Never back down in the face of difficulties.
- Si quieres lograrlo, nunca te rindas.If you want to achieve it, never give up.
- Aunque sea difícil, nunca te rindas.Even if it is hard, never back down.
Example conversation
Lucía is feeling overwhelmed by her studies and Daniel is encouraging her.
- DanielSé que es un examen difícil, pero nunca te rindas.I know it is a difficult exam, but never back down.
- LucíaGracias, Daniel, trataré de seguir adelante.Thanks, Daniel, I will try to keep going.
- DanielTú puedes con esto, confío en ti.You can do this, I believe in you.
- LucíaTienes razón, no me voy a rendir.You are right, I am not going to give up.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nunca, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
