Definition – In standard Spanish, hazme el favor is an expression that people use to ask someone for a favor. However, in Mexican informal Spanish, hazme el favor can also be used as a way to express frustration or disbelief about a certain situation. Depending on the context, it can be translated as ‘do me the favor of’, ‘please’, ‘give me a break’ or ‘can you believe it?”
What Does ‘Hazme el Favor’ Means?
- Translation #1: When used to ask for a favor, hazme el favor can be translated as ‘do me the favor of’ or ‘please’.
- Translation # 2: If used to express frustration or disbelief about a situation, it means ‘give me a break’ or ‘can you believe it’.
How and When to use ‘Hazme el Favor’
- To ask someone for a favor or to do something. In standard Spanish, ‘hazme el favor’ is an expression that speakers use to ask for a favor or as a very polite way to tell people to do something. In this situation, ‘hazme el favor’ needs to be completed with the action you need people to do. As a result, it’s translated as ‘please’ or ‘do me the favor of…’.
- To express disbelief or frustration. Mexican speakers use this phrase to express their frustration or disbelief about a situation. Therefore, in this context, ‘hazme el favor’ can be translated as ‘give me a break’ or ‘can you believe it?’. These meanings are only suitable for casual conversations.
Examples on How to Use ‘Hazme el Favor’
Here are some examples of how to use ‘hazme el favor’ in real-life situations.
To ask someone for a favor/to do something
In this context, hazme el favor needs to be completed with extra information that expresses the favor or activity you want people to do. Notice that ‘hazme’ is the imperative form for ‘tú’ (informal you), so you can always use other imperative forms to match the person you’re addressing.
Hazme/Hágame el favor + de + [verb infinitive verb]
Señora, hágame el favor de sentarse
Madam, please sit down
Katia, hazme el favor de llevarle estas cosas a tu tía
Katia, please do me the favor of taking these things to your aunt’s
¡Hazme el favor de escuchar lo que digo!
Do me the favor of listening to what I’m saying!
Take Note: ‘Hazme el favor’ is a popular expression, but since it’s conjugated in the imperative form you want to be careful with your tone of voice, otherwise it may be perceived as too demanding or aggressive.
To express your disbelief or frustration
In this situation, the information that you need to add is the situation that is bothering you.
Paco consiguió un ascenso, ¡hazme el favor! Si casi no trabaja
Paco got a promotion, give me a break! He barely works
Gabriela no me quiso ayudar porque dice que está ocupada, ¡hazme el favor!
Gabriela didn’t want to help because she says she’s busy, give me a break!
Meredith y Tom se quieren casar el próximo mes, ¡hazme el favor! Apenas se conocieron
Meredith and Tom want to get married next month, can you believe it? They just met
Who Can You Use ‘Hazme el Favor’ With?
As a way to ask for a favor, ‘hazme el favor’ can be used in all contexts. Just make sure to use a polite or nice tone of voice.
When expressing frustration or disbelief, ‘hazme el favor’ is more suitable for casual conversations.
Synonyms: 2 Ways To Say ‘Hazme el Favor’
- ¿Puedes creerlo? → It’s the direct translation of ‘can you believe it?’, it can be used to express your disbelief about a situation.
- No seas malito → It’s a casual and polite way to ask people to do something.
- A otro perro con ese hueso → It’s a popular Spanish phrase that expresses disbelief. It can be translated as ‘give me a break’.
Related Resource: How to Ask for a Favor in Spanish