You're angry. Or maybe just annoyed. Perhaps you’re describing a movie you absolutely loathed to a friend in Madrid, or you're trying to explain to a tutor in Mexico City why you can't stand cilantro. Language is about emotion. If you can’t express your dislikes, you’re only speaking half the language. So, how do you say hate in spanish?
The short answer is odiar. But honestly? It’s rarely that simple.
Spanish is a language that lives in the chest and the throat. It’s dramatic. It’s nuanced. If you walk around using odio for everything from a genocidal dictator to a slightly overcooked steak, you’re going to sound a bit "off." People might think you’re being overly intense, or worse, they’ll realize you’re just translating literally from English. We do that a lot. We say "I hate traffic," "I hate this weather," and "I hate that guy." In Spanish, you’ve got a whole toolbox of words that fit better depending on whether you're mildly peeved or genuinely losing your mind.
The Heavy Hitter: Odiar
If you want the direct translation, odiar is your verb. This is the big one. It carries weight. It’s deep-seated. When you say “Te odio,” you aren't just saying you're mad; you’re saying there is a fundamental loathing in your heart.
Because it’s a regular -ar verb, it’s easy to conjugate. Yo odio, tú odias, él odia. Easy. But use it sparingly. Real Spanish speakers often save odiar for things that are truly detestable. Think systemic injustice, a betrayer, or perhaps a lifelong rival. If you use it for a rainy day, it sounds like you're a protagonist in a 19th-century telenovela. It’s a bit much for daily inconveniences.
Interestingly, the noun form is el odio. You’ll see this in news headlines or political discussions—crímenes de odio (hate crimes). It’s a heavy, cold word.
When You Just Dislike Something: No Me Gusta
Sometimes the best way to say you hate something is to just say you don't like it. But you say it with feeling.
The phrase no me gusta is the bread and butter of Spanish communication. If you want to kick it up a notch without the "I want this person to cease existing" energy of odiar, you add some modifiers.
No me gusta nada (I don't like it at all).
No me gusta para nada (I don't like it one bit).
This is actually how most native speakers handle "hate" in a casual context. If you're at a restaurant and they bring you tripe soup and you can't stand the smell, you don't say you "hate" it. You say, “No me gusta nada el menudo.” It’s softer but crystal clear.
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The "I Can't Stand It" Alternatives
If odiar is too much and no me gusta is too little, you need the middle ground. This is where you start sounding like someone who actually lives in a Spanish-speaking country rather than someone who just finished a Duolingo streak.
No soportar is a classic. It literally means "I can't support" or "I can't bear/stand."
“No soporto el tráfico de las cinco.” (I can't stand 5:00 PM traffic.)
It’s perfect. It expresses that visceral irritation without the soul-crushing weight of "hate."
Then there’s detestar. This one is a bit more formal, almost intellectual. It’s like saying you find something "distasteful." You might detest a certain type of music or a specific political policy. It’s "hate" wearing a suit and tie.
Regional Flavors of Dislike
Language changes when you cross borders. In Mexico, you might hear someone say something is “de la patada.” This basically means it’s "like a kick"—it’s awful. While it doesn't mean "to hate" as a verb, it’s how you express that you hate a situation.
In Spain, you’ll hear “me repatea.” It’s a great, evocative word. It’s like saying something "kicks you back."
“Me repatea que llegues tarde.” (It really grinds my gears when you’re late.)
And then there's the incredibly common “me cae mal.” We use this for people. In English, we often say "I hate that guy" just because his vibe is off. In Spanish, you’d rarely say “lo odio” unless he stole your car. Instead, you say “él me cae mal.” Literally, "he falls on me badly." It’s the standard way to say you dislike someone's personality. If you really can’t stand them? “Me cae fatal.”
The Grammar of Disgust: Using "Me Choca"
In many parts of Latin America, particularly Mexico, the verb chocar is the king of casual hate.
Normally, chocar means to crash or to collide. But when used like the verb gustar (to please), it means you find something jarring or annoying.
“Me chocan las mentiras.” (I hate lies.)
“Me choca esa canción.” (I hate that song.)
It’s punchy. It’s common. It’s the perfect answer to how do u say hate in spanish when you’re talking about things that just annoy the living daylights out of you.
Don't Forget the Slang (Use with Caution)
If you're among friends and want to be a bit more "street," there are phrases that involve... well, bodily functions or stronger language.
“Me revienta” is a good one. It means "it bursts me."
“Me revienta que me interrumpas.” (It drives me crazy/I hate it when you interrupt me.)
In Spain, people use “me da asco.” This literally means "it gives me disgust/nausea." It’s very common to use this for things you "hate" because they are gross or morally repellent. It’s a strong way to express a deep dislike.
Why Translation Fails the Emotion Test
Translation is a trap. If you look at a Spanish-English dictionary, it gives you one-to-one swaps. English is a Germanic language that has been heavily "French-ified," while Spanish is a Romance language. The way we conceptualize dislike is different.
In English, we use "hate" as a hyperbole. "I hate that new font."
In Spanish, hyperbole exists, but it often uses different verbs entirely. If you say “Odio ese tipo de letra,” a Spanish speaker knows what you mean, but it sounds dramatic. It’s like you’re declaring war on a typeface.
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Instead, a native speaker might use a construction like “Es un horror” (It’s a horror) or “Es una porquería” (It’s garbage). This is the secret to sounding natural. You don't always need a verb for "hate." You can describe the object of your hate as something terrible.
Actionable Next Steps for Mastering Your "Hate"
Don't just memorize the word odiar and call it a day. If you want to actually communicate your frustrations in Spanish, try this approach:
- Audit your "hates": For the next 24 hours, notice every time you say "I hate" in English. Was it about a person? A situation? A food?
- Categorize the intensity: If you’re truly disgusted, try “me da asco.” If you’re just annoyed by a habit, try “me choca.” If it’s a person you just don't vibe with, use “me cae mal.”
- Practice the "Me Gusta" structure: Most "hate" verbs in Spanish—like chocar or repatear—use the same grammar as gustar. The thing you hate is the subject. It’s not "I hate the shoes," it’s "The shoes are jarring to me" (Me chocan los zapatos).
- Listen for "Fuchi": In many Latin American households, if someone hates a smell or a taste, they just say "¡Fuchi!" or "¡Guácala!" Sometimes, a single exclamation carries more "hate" than a whole conjugated verb.
Stop being afraid of sounding too intense or not intense enough. The reality of Spanish is that it’s a high-context language. The look on your face and the tone of your voice do 50% of the heavy lifting. Start using no soporto or me choca this week. You’ll find that people react much more naturally to you than if you keep dropping the "O-word" every time you see a long line at the grocery store.
Language is a tool. Sometimes that tool is a scalpel, and sometimes it's a sledgehammer. Pick the right one for your frustration.