How do you say “On the rocks” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is estar en peligro, which literally means “to be in danger”. English speakers use on the rocks to mean in serious trouble and likely to fail. A plain choice for a relationship or business at risk. The surrounding sentence should show how serious the trouble is. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
estar en peligro
/esˈtaɾ en peˈliɣɾo/
- Literal meaning
- “to be in danger”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
88 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
“Nuestro matrimonio está en peligro” makes the risk clear without suggesting that the couple has already separated. The same wording can describe a business at risk.
For a drink, use “con hielo”. “En las rocas” also occurs for drinks in Latin America, but it is not the recommendation here for a troubled marriage.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 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
After months of arguing, their marriage was on the rocks.
Spanish
Después de meses de discusiones, su matrimonio estaba en peligro.
English
With no money left to pay the rent, the business is on the rocks.
Spanish
Sin dinero para pagar el alquiler, el negocio está en peligro.
Related expressions
- What “On the rocks” means in English
- On thin ice, In a risky situation close to trouble.
Last updated 2026-10-01