How do you say “Down to the wire” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is hasta el último momento, which literally means “until the last moment”. English speakers use down to the wire to mean continuing until the final moment before a result or deadline. A natural Spanish match for something unsettled until the end. Keep the uncertainty or deadline in the surrounding sentence. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
hasta el último momento
/ˈasta el ˈultimo moˈmento/
- Literal meaning
- “until the last moment”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
94 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
“El resultado siguió en el aire hasta el último momento” describes an outcome still uncertain near the finish. The time phrase alone is less dramatic than the English.
It can also describe waiting or continuing until the end without any suspense. The verb and situation supply that extra meaning.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
The vote went down to the wire; the result stayed uncertain until the end.
Spanish
El resultado de la votación siguió siendo incierto hasta el último momento.
English
The negotiations went down to the wire before we finally agreed on a price.
Spanish
Las negociaciones duraron hasta el último momento antes de que por fin acordáramos un precio.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-11-04