Meaning
To achieve a desired outcome or goal.
Cultural Background
In Spain, the slang 'petarlo' is extremely common among young people to describe having a huge success, especially on social media or at a party. In Mexican business culture, 'éxito' is often associated with 'ganas' (drive/enthusiasm). To have success, you must 'echarle ganas'. Argentines often use 'la rompiste' (you broke it) as a high compliment for someone who had a great success in a performance or speech. Due to the influence of English, you might hear 'ser exitoso' more frequently among heritage speakers in the US than in Spain or South America.
The Exit Trap
Never use 'éxito' to mean a door you walk through to leave. That is always 'salida'.
Mucho vs Muy
Always use 'mucho éxito'. If you say 'muy éxito', native speakers will immediately know you are translating literally from English.
Meaning
To achieve a desired outcome or goal.
The Exit Trap
Never use 'éxito' to mean a door you walk through to leave. That is always 'salida'.
Mucho vs Muy
Always use 'mucho éxito'. If you say 'muy éxito', native speakers will immediately know you are translating literally from English.
Wishing Success
It is very common to wish someone 'muchos éxitos' (plural) when they start a new job. It sounds more natural than the singular.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'tener'.
Mi hermana ______ mucho éxito en su nueva empresa.
'Mi hermana' is third-person singular (she), so we use 'tiene'.
Which sentence is correct?
How do you say 'He is very successful'?
We use 'tener' + 'mucho' + 'éxito' because 'éxito' is a noun.
Match the Spanish phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are common points of confusion for learners.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ¿Crees que el concierto va a ______ éxito? B: Sí, todas las entradas están vendidas.
The collocation is always 'tener éxito'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Éxito vs. Salida
Practice Bank
4 exercisesMi hermana ______ mucho éxito en su nueva empresa.
'Mi hermana' is third-person singular (she), so we use 'tiene'.
How do you say 'He is very successful'?
We use 'tener' + 'mucho' + 'éxito' because 'éxito' is a noun.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are common points of confusion for learners.
A: ¿Crees que el concierto va a ______ éxito? B: Sí, todas las entradas están vendidas.
The collocation is always 'tener éxito'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, you can, but 'Tener éxito' is much more common and sounds more natural in most Spanish-speaking countries.
Yes, in modern Spanish, 'éxito' always refers to a positive outcome.
The opposite is 'fracasar' (to fail) or 'tener un fracaso'.
Use 'tener mucho éxito'. Remember to use 'mucho' because 'éxito' is a noun.
They share the same Latin root 'exitus', but their meanings diverged over hundreds of years.
No, you don't say 'Él es un éxito' to mean he is successful. You say 'Él tiene éxito'. However, you can say 'La fiesta fue un éxito' (The party was a success).
Almost. 'Triunfar' is more like 'to triumph'—it's stronger and often used for big victories.
Usually no. We say 'tener éxito', not 'tener el éxito', unless you are talking about a specific, previously mentioned success.
Yes, it is the standard term for business success, profitability, and market growth.
It means 'bestseller' or 'sales success'.
Related Phrases
tener suerte
similarTo be lucky
triunfar
synonymTo triumph
lograr un objetivo
builds onTo achieve a goal
fracasar
contrastTo fail
