How do you say “Hit the road” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is Ponerse en marcha, which literally means “To put oneself in motion”. English speakers use hit the road to mean to leave a place or begin a journey. A familiar expression for setting off. It also applies to starting an activity, so the travel context matters. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
Ponerse en marcha
/poˈneɾse en ˈmaɾtʃa/
- Literal meaning
- “To put oneself in motion”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
92 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
Both expressions suggest movement, but Spanish starts the motion without hitting the road.
“Ponerse en marcha” is a little less slangy. For a quick goodbye at a friend’s house, a simple “nos vamos” may fit better.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 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?
Salir
Literally: “To go out”
The simplest option for leaving a place.
Emprender el viaje
Literally: “To undertake the journey”
More formal; suitable when describing the start of a trip.
Common translation traps
Golpear la carretera
This means striking the road, not leaving or setting off.
The notes above explain why these versions do not work in this context in Spanish.
In context
English
It’s late; let’s hit the road.
Spanish
Es tarde; pongámonos en marcha.
English
We hit the road before sunrise.
Spanish
Nos pusimos en marcha antes del amanecer.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-13