| Compound Forms: |
WordReference English-Spanish Dictionary © 2026:
| a long way to go expr | (much effort still needed) | faltar mucho expr |
| | Brad did well on the quiz, but he has a long way to go before he passes the class. |
| | A Brad le fue bien en el examen, pero le faltaba mucho para aprobar el curso. |
| a ways to go expr | US, informal (some distance to go) | un largo trecho loc nom m |
| | | un largo camino por recorrer loc nom m |
| | | mucho camino por recorrer loc nom m |
| food to go n | US (take-away food) | comida para llevar loc nom f |
give [sb] the go-ahead,
give the go-ahead to [sb] v expr | informal (authorize [sb] to do [sth]) | dar el visto bueno a loc verb |
| | | autorizar a vtr + prep |
| go to [sth] vi + prep | (proceed to, head for) | ir a vi + prep |
| | | ir para vi + prep |
| | I'm going to London this summer. |
| | Anne went to Italy for her holiday last year. |
| | Robert goes to the market every Saturday morning. |
| | Voy a Londres este verano. // Ana fue a Italia de vacaciones el año pasado. // Roberto va al mercado todos los domingos por la mañana. |
| go to [sth] vi + prep | (lead to) | ir a vi + prep |
| | | llevar a vi + prep |
| | | conducir a vi + prep |
| | (informal) | dar a vi + prep |
| | These stairs go to the attic. |
| | Estas escaleras van al ático. |
go to [sth],
go on [sth] vi + prep | (be allotted) | destinarse a v prnl + prep |
| | (informal) | irse en v prnl + prep |
| | A quarter of their income goes to food. |
| | Una cuarta parte de sus ingresos se destina a comida. |
| | Una cuarta parte de sus ingresos se va en comida. |
| go to do [sth] v expr | (make a move to do) | ir a hacer algo loc verb |
| | Jake went to brush a stray hair from Leah's cheek, but at that moment she turned away. |
| | Jake fue a sacar un pelo de la mejilla de Leah, pero ella justo se dio vuelta. |
| go to [sb] vi + prep | (pass to [sb] in a will) | pasar a vi + prep |
| | His house went to the elder son, its contents to the younger. |
| | Su casa pasó a su hijo mayor y el contenido, al menor. |
| go to [sb/sth] vi + prep | (be awarded to) | ir para vi + prep |
| | | ser para, ser de v cop + prep |
| | And the Oscar goes to Steve McQueen! |
| | ¡Y el Óscar va para Steve McQueen! |
go a long way,
go a long way to do [sth] expr | (be helpful) | ser útil loc verb |
| | | ayudar⇒ vtr |
| | | contribuir⇒ vi |
| | The man's generous donation will go a long way to help build homes for needy families. |
| go all out to do [sth] v expr | informal (make a full effort) | darlo todo por loc verb + prep |
| | | hacer hasta lo imposible por loc verb + prep |
| | George went all out to impress his girlfriend. |
| | George lo dio todo por impresionar a su novia. |
| go and get [sth/sb] v expr | informal (fetch) | ir por vi + prep |
| | | ir a buscar loc verb |
| | Dan asked his son to go and get some milk from the local supermarket. |
| | Dan le pidió a su hijo que fuera por algo de leche al supermercado loca. |
| go back to doing [sth] v expr | (revert to doing [sth]) | volver a vtr + prep |
| | Sheila went back to using drugs. |
| | Sheila volvió a consumir drogas. |
| go back to bed v expr | (return to bed) | volver a la cama loc verb |
| | When I saw it was raining outside I decided to go back to bed. |
| | Cuando vi que afuera llovía, decidí volver a la cama. |
| go back to school v expr | (return to school) | volver a clases loc verb |
| | | regresar a clases loc verb |
| | The children go back to school on 6th September this year. |
| go back to the drawing board v expr | (start planning again) | empezar de cero loc verb |
| | | comenzar desde cero loc verb |
| go cap in hand to [sb] v expr | figurative (beg, ask for [sth]) | pedir limosna a loc verb |
| go crawling to [sb] v expr | figurative, informal (grovel) (figurado) | arrastrarse a los pies de loc verb |
| | I went crawling to my boss and begged him to give me my job back. |
| | Me arrastré a los pies de mi jefe y le rogué que me devolviera mi empleo. |
| go from bad to worse v expr | informal (worsen) | ir de mal en peor expr |
| | Since I bought that self-help book my life's gone from bad to worse. |
| | Desde que compré ese libro de autoayuda mi vida va de mal en peor. |
| go head to head v expr | | ir cabeza a cabeza expr |
| | The winners of the heats went head to head in the final. |
| | Los ganadores de las eliminatorias fueron cabeza a cabeza a la final. |
| go on to do [sth] v expr | (do subsequently) | pasar a vi + prep |
| | Having acted in movies for thirty years, he went on to direct them. |
| | Después de actuar en películas por treinta años, pasó a dirigirlas. |
| go on to do [sth] v expr | (do [sth] next) | pasar a vi + prep |
| | | seguir con vi + prep |
| go to a lot of trouble to do [sth] v expr | (make a special effort to) | esforzarse mucho en loc verb |
| | | trabajar duro para loc verb |
| | I went to a lot of trouble to prepare a special dinner. |
| go to an early grave v expr | (die young) | sufrir una muerte temprana loc verb |
| | | morir joven vi + adj mf |
| | Callum is going to an early grave if he doesn't adopt a healthier lifestyle. |
| | Callum sufrirá una muerte temprana si no adopta un estilo de vida más saludable. |
| go to any lengths to do [sth] v expr | (do whatever is necessary) | hacer lo imposible por, hacer lo imposible para loc verb |
| | | hacer lo necesario por, hacer lo necesario para loc verb |
| go to any lengths for [sb/sth] v expr | (do whatever is necessary) | hacer lo imposible por loc verb |
| | | hacer lo que haga falta por loc verb |
| go to bat for [sb] v expr | informal, figurative (show support) | alzar la voz en defensa de loc verb |
| | (figurado) | sacar la cara por loc verb |
| | Se supone que este político alzará la voz en defensa de los obreros. |
| go to bed v expr | (retire at night) | acostarse⇒ v prnl |
| | | ir a dormir, ir a la cama loc verb |
| | | irse a dormir, irse a la cama loc verb |
| | It's past midnight and time for me to go to bed. |
| | Ya son más de las 12 y es hora de acostarme. |
| go to church v expr | (attend religious services) | ir a la iglesia loc verb |
| | David goes to church with his family every Sunday morning. |
| | Julienne va a la iglesia con sus padres cada domingo. |
| go to extremes v expr | (do [sth] drastic) | llegar al extremo loc verb |
| | Top athletes are prepared to go to extremes to achieve success. |
| | Los mejores atletas están preparados para llegar al extremo y triunfar. |
| go to get [sth/sb] v expr | (fetch) | ir a buscar loc verb |
| | | ir a recoger loc verb |
go to glory,
go to your glory v expr | euphemism (die) | irse al otro mundo expr |
| | | pasar a mejor vida expr |
| go to great lengths to do [sth] v expr | (make effort) | esforzarse mucho por, esforzarse mucho para loc verb |
| | | hacer un gran esfuerzo por, hacer un gran esfuerzo para loc verb |
| | She went to great lengths to help me, and for that I am truly grateful. |
| | Se esforzó mucho por ayudarme y por eso estoy realmente agradecido. |
| go to great pains to do [sth] v expr | (go to a lot of effort to do) | hacer un gran esfuerzo para loc verb |
go to ground,
run to ground v expr | figurative (hide, be reclusive) | recluirse⇒ v prnl |
| Go to hell! interj | potentially offensive (strong dismissal) (ofensivo) | ¡Vete a la mierda! loc interj |
| | (ofensivo) | ¡Vete al carajo! loc interj |
| | (ofensivo, voseo) | ¡Andate a la mierda! loc interj |
| | (ES) | ¡Vete a tomar por culo! loc interj |
| | Go to hell! You disgust me! |
| | ¡Vete a la mierda! ¡Me das asco! |
| | (AR, CR, ofensivo) | ¡Andá a cagar! loc interj |
| | (MX, ofensivo) | ¡Vete a la chingada! loc interj |
| | ¡Andá a cagar! ¡Me das asco! |
| go to hell and back v expr | informal, figurative (experience great difficulties, worry) | pasar por el infierno loc verb |
| | | vivir un infierno loc verb |
go to hell in a handbasket,
go to hell in a handcart v expr | figurative, informal (degenerate rapidly) | irse al garete loc verb |
| | | ir de camino al infierno loc verb |
| go to it v expr | informal (begin, get to work) | empezar⇒ vtr |
| | | comenzar⇒ vtr |
| | | ponerse manos a la obra loc verb |
| go to jail v expr | (be sent to prison) | ir a la cárcel loc verb |
| | Fue a la cárcel por los delitos que cometió. |
| | (AR, coloquial) | ir en cana loc verb |
| | Si nos descubren, vamos todos en cana. |
| | (PE) | ir a cana loc verb |
| | Lo atraparon in fraganti y fue a cana. |
| go to pieces v expr | figurative (lose composure) | desmoronarse⇒ v prnl |
| | She went to pieces when her only child died. |
| | ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. Se desmoronó al verla con su nuevo novio. |
go to pieces,
fall to pieces v expr | figurative (lose health) (informal) | hacerse pedazos loc verb |
| | | deteriorarse⇒ v prnl |
| | Alvin's health went to pieces as a result of his alcoholism. |
| | La salud de Alvin se hizo pedazos a causa de su alcoholismo. |
| go to pieces v expr | figurative (stop functioning) | averiarse⇒ v prnl |
| | | descomponerse⇒ v prnl |
| | (informal; sistema) | caerse⇒ v prnl |
| | One of the computers crashed and the whole system went to pieces. |
| | Una de las computadores se colgó y todo el sistema se averió. |
| | Una de las computadores se colgó y todo el sistema se cayó. |
| go to pot v expr | slang (decline, deteriorate) | dejarse estar loc verb |
| | | dejarse ir loc verb |
| | I used to exercise but I'm afraid I've gone to pot since the baby was born. |
| | Antes hacía ejercicio pero me dejé estar desde que nació el bebé. |
| | | abandonarse⇒ v prnl |
| go to press v expr | (be published) | publicarse⇒ v prnl |
| go to print v expr | (be reproduced for publication) | imprimirse⇒ v prnl |
| | The book is ready to go to print. |
| | El libro está listo para imprimirse. |
| go to school v expr | (attend classes) (coloquial) | ir a la escuela loc verb |
| | | ir al colegio loc verb |
| | Children start going to school at age 5. |
| | Los niños empiezan a ir a la escuela a los cinco años. |
| go to sea v expr | dated (become a sailor) | hacerse marinero loc verb |
| go to sea v expr | dated (start a voyage) | irse a navegar loc verb |
go to seed,
run to seed v expr | slang, figurative (decline, deteriorate) (coloquial) | venirse a menos expr |
| | He was once a great actor but rather went to seed in middle age. |
| | Alguna vez fue un gran actor pero se vino a menos cuando cumplió los 40. |
go to seed,
run to seed v expr | (plant: produce seed and dry up) | echar semillas loc verb |
| | Prevent flowering plants from going to seed by removing the dead flower heads. |
| | Evite que las plantas echen semillas cortando las flores secas. |
| go to show [sth] v expr | (serve to illustrate) | sirve para demostrar loc verb |
| | | demostrar⇒ vtr |
| | That just goes to show that you can't trust anyone. |
| go to sleep v expr | (fall asleep, lose consciousness) | dormir⇒ vi |
| | | dormirse⇒ v prnl |
| | I can't go to sleep with all this noise going on. |
| | No me puedo dormir con tanto ruido alrededor. |
| go to sleep v expr | (limb: become numb) | dormirse⇒ v prnl |
| | I've been sitting in this position for so long, my legs have gone to sleep. |
| | Estoy sentada en esta posición hace tanto, que mis piernas se durmieron. |
| go to the bad v expr | (person: deteriorate morally) | corromperse⇒ v prnl |
go to the bathroom,
use the bathroom v expr | US (use the toilet) | ir al baño loc verb |
| | To avoid extra stops, I always tell the children to go to the bathroom before starting a long trip in the car. |
| | | ir al servicio loc verb |
| go to the devil v expr | informal (fail completely, be ruined) | arruinarse⇒ v prnl |
| go to the devil v expr | informal (person: become depraved) | volverse depravado v prnl + adj |
| | | volverse degenerado v prnl + adj |
| go to the devil interj | potentially offensive, informal (expletive: disgust, rejection) | ¡vete a la porra! interj |
| | | ¡vete al diablo! loc interj |
| go to the dogs v expr | figurative (become much less successful) (coloquial) | irse al garete loc verb |
| | | irse a pique loc verb |
| go to the mat v expr | (argue intensely) (figurado) | pelear a muerte vi + loc adv |
| go to the movies v expr | mainly US, informal (go to the cinema) | ir al cine loc verb |
| | Tony wants to go to the movies this evening. |
| | Tony quiere ir al cine esta tarde. |
go to the restroom,
go to the rest room v expr | US (use the toilet) | ir al baño loc verb |
| | | ir al servicio loc verb |
| | | ir al lavabo loc verb |
| | I need to go to the restroom. |
| go to the wall v expr | (business: fail) | quebrar⇒ vi |
| | | caer en bancarrota loc verb |
| go to the wall for [sth] v expr | (stand up for [sth] at all cost to yourself) (figurado) | morir por expr |
| go to town v expr | figurative (do [sth] lavishly, extravagantly) | tirar la casa por la ventana expr |
| | Wow! Look at all this food - you've really gone to town! |
| | ¡Mira toda esta comida! ¡Tiraste la casa por la ventana! |
| go to war v expr | (engage in warfare) | entrar en guerra loc verb |
| | Britain went to war against Germany in 1914. |
| | Gran Bretaña entró en guerra con Alemania en 1914. |
| go to war v expr | (leave for battlefront) | ir a la guerra loc verb |
| | | irse a la guerra loc verb |
| | The exhibition highlights how many young men went to war from Wells and the surrounding villages. |
| | La exhibición muestra cuando jóvenes fueron a la guerra desde Gales y los pueblos aledaños. |
| go to waste v expr | (not be used) | desperdiciarse⇒ v prnl |
| | | ser desperdiciado loc verb |
| | A new study has found that 50 per cent of the world's food goes to waste. |
| | Un nuevo estudio ha descubierto que el 50 por ciento de la comida del mundo se desperdicia. |
| go to work v expr | (travel to workplace) | ir al trabajo loc verb |
| | I prefer to go to work early before the traffic gets heavy. |
| | Prefiero ir al trabajo temprano para evitar el tránsito pesado. |
| go to work on [sth] v expr | figurative, informal (do [sth] thoroughly) (coloquial) | ponerle empeño a, meterle empeño a loc verb |
| | | ponerse en serio con loc verb |
| | The artist has really gone to work on this mural; it's huge and very detailed. |
| | El artista le ha puesto muchísimo empeño al mural: es enorme y muy detallado. |
| go to [sb]'s head v expr | figurative, slang (make egotistical) (coloquial) | subírsele algo a la cabeza a alguien loc verb + prep |
| | (coloquial) | subírsele los humos a alguien con algo loc verb + prep |
| | (AR: coloquial) | agrandarse con algo v prnl + prep |
| | His one hit record went to his head, and now he is impossible to live with. |
| | Su único éxito se le subió a la cabeza y ahora es imposible convivir con él. |
go to [sb]'s head,
go straight to [sb]'s head v expr | (make drunk) (coloquial) | subírsele a la cabeza a loc verb |
| | (coloquial) | pegarle fuerte a loc verb |
| | That glass of wine has gone straight to my head! |
| | ¡Esa copa de vino se me subió a la cabeza! |
| | ¡Esa copa de vino sí que me pegó fuerte! |
| go up to [sb/sth] v expr | (approach, accost) | acercarse⇒ v prnl |
| | | abordar a vtr + prep |
| | | acercarse a v prnl + prep |
| | | abordar⇒ vtr |
| | Don't be shy, just go up to him and say hi! |
| | No seas tímida, ¡acércate y habla con él! |
| go up to [sth] v expr | (reach as high as) | llegar⇒ vi |
| | I want some boots that go up to my knees. |
| | Quiero unas botas que me lleguen hasta las rodillas. |
| go-to n | informal (dependable person or thing) | persona de confianza nf + loc adj |
| | | cosa favorita, cosa preferida nf + adj |
| go-to adj | informal (destination: popular) | popular adj mf |
| go-to adj | informal (person, thing: dependable) (persona) | de confianza loc adj |
| | (cosa) | favorito/a, preferido/a adj |
| good to go adj | slang (ready, prepared) | listo/a adj |
| | Backpack, spare socks, first-aid kit, water bottles -- okay, I'm good to go. |
| | Mochila, calcetines de repuesto, botiquín de primeros auxilios, botellas de agua... ¡Bien, listo! |
| got to go interj | informal (I must leave now) | tengo que irme, me tengo que ir loc interj |
| | Sorry, got to go: my taxi's here. |
| | Lo siento, tengo que irme, el taxi me espera. |
| have to go vi | (be obliged to leave) | tener que irse loc verb |
| | It's very late; I'll have to go. |
| | Es muy tarde; me tengo que ir. |
meet your maker,
go to meet your maker v expr | euphemism (die) | dejar este mundo loc verb |
| | (literario) | ir al encuentro del Creador loc verb |
| | (formal) | fallecer⇒ vi |
| raring to go expr | informal (keen to start [sth]) | ansioso de empezar, ansioso por empezar, deseoso de empezar loc adj |
| | Everyone on the team was excited about the new project and raring to go. |
| | Todos en el equipo estaban emocionados por el nuevo proyecto y ansiosos de empezar. |
to the victor go the spoils,
to the victor belong the spoils expr | (winner gets all benefits) | todo para el ganador expr |
| Way to go! interj | informal (Well done!) | ¡eso es! loc interj |
| | | ¡bien hecho! loc interj |
| | | ¡te felicito! loc interj |
| | You passed your driver's test! Way to go, son! |
| | ¡Aprobaste el examen de conducir! ¡Eso es, hijo! |
| Way to go! interj | ironic, informal (Well done!) (irónico) | ¡muy bien! loc interj |
| | (irónico) | ¡bien! interj |
| | (irónico) | ¡bien hecho! loc interj |
| | You've made Diane cry now. Way to go! |