aléjate de mí
/alexate de mi/from spelling rules
To say 'stay away from me' in Spanish, you use aléjate de mí.
This phrase is a command used to tell someone to move further away or keep a distance from you.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the reflexive verb alejarse (to distance oneself) in the imperative mood, de (from) and mí (me). Literally, it means 'get yourself away from me'.
Which one should you use?
Aléjate de mí is a direct command to move away, whereas no te acerques (don't approach) is a command to not come closer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form aléjate de mí uses the informal tú imperative, which is used when speaking to someone you know or to someone of equal social standing. To use the formal usted version, change aléjate to aléjese.
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, using the formal aléjese instead of aléjate can actually make the command feel more cold and threatening by creating a sharp social distance.
- If you want to sound much more aggressive or intense, you might say lárgate, which is a much stronger way to tell someone to 'get lost' rather than just 'stay away'.
- Spanish has a specific reflexive structure for this phrase because the act of distancing is viewed as something the subject does to themselves, rather than something the speaker does to the other person.
Examples in context
- Perdón, ¿podría mantenerse alejado de mí, por favor? Estoy ocupado/a trabajando.Excuse me, could you please stay away from me? I'm busy working.
- Pedro, por favor, no se me acerque tanto. Necesito un poco de espacio.Pedro, please don't come so close to me. I need some personal space.
- Comprendo que está interesado/a, pero le ruego que se mantenga distante de mí.I understand you are interested, but I beg you to stay distant from me.
- ¡Juan, aléjate de mí! Me estás asfixiando con todo este ruido.Juan, stay away from me! You're suffocating me with all this noise.
- ¡Chicos, no se acerquen, estoy enfermo/a y no quiero contagiarlos!Guys, don't come near me, I'm sick and I don't want to infect you!
- Si no quieres problemas, mejor mantente lejos de mí y de mis asuntos.If you don't want any trouble, you better stay away from me and my business.
- ¡Aléjate de mí, no quiero hablar contigo!Stay away from me, I don't want to talk to you!
- ¡Aléjate de mí ahora mismo!Stay away from me right now!
- No me toques, aléjate de mí.Don't touch me, stay away from me.
- Por favor, aléjate de mí, estoy enojada.Please, stay away from me, I am angry.
Example conversation
Alejandro is trying to approach Elena after an argument.
- Elena¡Aléjate de mí, Alejandro!Stay away from me, Alejandro!
- AlejandroSolo quiero hablar contigo.I just want to talk to you.
- ElenaNo, no quiero hablar. Aléjate de mí.No, I don't want to talk. Stay away from me.
- AlejandroEstá bien, te daré espacio.Okay, I will give you space.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
