How do you say “Let someone off the hook” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is dejar que alguien se libre, which literally means “to let someone get free”. English speakers use let someone off the hook to mean to free someone from blame, punishment or an obligation. Add what the person escapes: a task, blame or a punishment. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
dejar que alguien se libre
/deˈxaɾ ke ˈalɣjen se ˈliβɾe/
- Literal meaning
- “to let someone get free”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
90 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
“Librarse de” works for several kinds of escape. Naming the chore or consequence keeps the sentence clear.
The English can sound forgiving or critical depending on the situation. Spanish does too: letting someone avoid washing up is different from letting them avoid responsibility for a lie.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
We let Ana off the hook for washing up.
Spanish
Dejamos que Ana se librara de fregar los platos.
English
I won't let him off the hook for that lie.
Spanish
No voy a dejar que se libre de las consecuencias de esa mentira.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-19