How do you say “Drive someone up the wall” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is sacar a alguien de quicio, which literally means “to pull someone out of the hinge or frame”. English speakers use drive someone up the wall to mean to annoy or frustrate someone intensely. A close everyday match, especially for repeated noises, habits or interruptions. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
sacar a alguien de quicio
/saˈkaɾ a ˈalɣjen de ˈkisjo/
- Literal meaning
- “to pull someone out of the hinge or frame”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
94 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
A repeated interruption or irritating noise can “sacarte de quicio.” As in English, the phrase often exaggerates how annoyed someone feels.
Put the cause first: “Ese ruido me saca de quicio.” If frustration matters more than anger, “desesperar” may fit better.
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?
poner de los nervios a alguien
Literally: “to put someone on their nerves”
A conversational option for strong irritation or agitation.
desesperar a alguien
Literally: “to drive someone to desperation”
Can stress frustration rather than anger.
In context
English
That constant beeping is driving me up the wall.
Spanish
Ese pitido constante me saca de quicio.
English
His interruptions drive her up the wall.
Spanish
Sus interrupciones la sacan de quicio.
Related expressions
- What “Drive someone up the wall” means in English
- Fly off the handle, Suddenly lose your temper.
- The last straw, The final problem that makes someone give up.
Last updated 2026-09-16