vete a tomar por culo
What does vete a tomar por culo mean? vete a tomar por culo is a Spanish severe that translates to “go fuck yourself / piss off” in English.
Literal Translation
go take it up the ass
Meaning & Usage
"go fuck yourself / piss off"
A harsh, dismissive command telling someone to go away immediately and aggressively.
Examples in the Wild
Ending an argument where you've completely lost patience with the other person's logic.
Regional Variations
When to Use It
Context
- Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
- Only among very close friends who share this register
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around elders or authority figures
- Public spaces — will cause genuine offense
- Mixed company or unfamiliar social groups
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
The classic Spanish brush-off. While it sounds graphically homophobic or violently sexual in direct translation, regular usage has smoothed it down into a severe but standard 'fuck off'. Spaniards use it both aggressively during pub brawls and semi-affectionately when a close friend is teasing them too relentlessly ('anda, vete a tomar por culo'). A softer variation is 'vete a tomar viento' (go catch the wind).
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