How do you say “Cut to the chase” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is Ir al grano, which literally means “To go to the grain”. English speakers use cut to the chase to mean get directly to the main point without wasting time on unimportant details. A familiar way to get to the main point. Vamos al grano is direct and can sound impatient. Register: neutral, informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
Ir al grano
/iɾ al ˈɣɾano/
- Literal meaning
- “To go to the grain”
- Register
- neutral, informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
97 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
English jumps to a chase scene. Spanish goes straight to the grain, the essential part of the matter.
Both save time but can sound abrupt. “Voy al grano” is useful when you are shortening your own explanation rather than cutting someone else off.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in Spanish?
Ir directo al asunto
Literally: “To go directly to the matter”
A plain alternative with the same directness.
Dejarse de rodeos
Literally: “To leave off detours”
A firmer request to stop being indirect.
Common translation traps
Cortar a la persecución
The film-editing image does not express getting to the point in Spanish.
The notes above explain why these versions do not work in this context in Spanish.
In context
English
Let us cut to the chase: how much will it cost?
Spanish
Vamos al grano: ¿cuánto va a costar?
English
Please cut to the chase, we only have five minutes.
Spanish
Por favor, ve al grano, solo tenemos cinco minutos.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-13