Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| venganza | /benˈɡanθa/ /benˈɡansa/ |
feminine |
| desquite | /desˈkite/ | masculine |
| revancha | /reˈbant͡ʃa/ | feminine |
Spanish uses different words for payback depending on whether you are describing a serious act of revenge, a competitive rematch or a casual way of getting even.
Which one should you use?
venganza is the general term for revenge and often implies a malicious or harmful intent. In the context of sports or games, revancha is used to mean a rematch or a chance to settle a score in a competitive setting. For a more colloquial way of describing settling a score or getting even, you can use desquite. Additionally, represalia is used specifically for retaliation or a reprisal in response to an attack or offense.
How does it change in a sentence?
venganza is a feminine noun and must be used with feminine articles such as la or unas. desquite is a masculine noun and must be used with masculine articles like el or un.
How do you pronounce it?
/benˈɡanθa/
Did you know?
- The word revancha is a direct loan from the French word revanche, which means the Spanish term for 'rematch' is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'revenge'.
- While venganza is used for revenge, the word desquite comes from the verb desquitar, which can also mean to recover a loss of money or to make up for a missed opportunity.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, asking for a revancha is a standard social custom after a game of billiards or cards, regardless of whether the previous game was particularly competitive.
Examples in context
- Después de tantos malentendidos, buscó venganza por medio de la justicia.After so many misunderstandings, he sought payback through the legal system.
- ¡Ya verás! Me las pagarás. Quiero mi desquite.You'll see! You will pay for it. I want my payback.
- Después de perder la primera ronda, logró una revancha en el segundo juego.After losing the first round, he achieved payback in the second game.
- Después de ser traicionado por su mejor amigo, buscó venganza de forma legal.After being betrayed by his closest friend, he sought payback through legal means.
- Decidió vengarse de su exnovio por todo el dolor que causó.She decided to take revenge on her ex-boyfriend for all the pain he caused.
- Después de perder en el primer juego, buscó revancha en la segunda ronda del torneo.After losing in the first match, he sought payback in the second round of the tournament.
- Él busca venganza contra su jefe.He seeks revenge against his boss.
- La venganza es un plato frío.Revenge is a dish best served cold.
- No quiero buscar venganza por esto.I don't want to seek revenge for this.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are talking about a conflict at work.
- Alejandro¿Vas a buscar venganza contra ella?Are you going to seek revenge against her?
- ElenaNo, no quiero una venganza destructiva.No, I don't want a destructive revenge.
- AlejandroTienes razón, es mejor olvidar.You are right, it is better to forget.
- ElenaExacto, prefiero la paz.Exactly, I prefer peace.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “payback” translations and entries venganza, desquite, revancha, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries desquite, revancha, venganza, CC BY-SA 4.0.
