How do you say “Give someone a run for their money” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is hacer sudar a alguien, which literally means “to make someone sweat”. English speakers use give someone a run for their money to mean to compete strongly against someone. Works for making an opponent work hard. Outside a contest, it can simply mean making a task difficult. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
hacer sudar a alguien
/aˈseɾ suˈðaɾ a ˈalɣjen/
- Literal meaning
- “to make someone sweat”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
88 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
The sweating image suggests effort. “Nos hicieron sudar” is a natural way to admit that the other team was a serious challenge.
It does not guarantee a close final score. Keep the competitive situation clear if you want the full English meaning.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
Our young team gave the champions a run for their money.
Spanish
Nuestro joven equipo hizo sudar a los campeones.
English
That small bakery gives the expensive one a run for its money.
Spanish
Esa pequeña panadería hace sudar a su competidora más cara.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-11-04