salirse con la suya
verbCEFR B2
What does “salirse con la suya” mean in English?
to get away with it, to get one's own way against opposition
to get away with it, to get one's own way against opposition (negative connotation; resistance always implied)
Example sentences
No puede salirse siempre con la suya; en algún momento tendrá que rendir cuentas.
He can't always get away with it; at some point he'll have to be held accountable.
Esta vez no se van a salir con la suya: hay denuncias formales en marcha.
This time they won't get away with it: there are formal complaints underway.
Al final se salió con la suya y consiguió que aprobaran su propuesta sin modificaciones.
In the end he got his way and had his proposal approved without amendments.
How to use it
Salirse con la suya means 'to get away with it', 'to get one's own way' in the face of opposition or rules. It implies that someone achieved their goal despite resistance or despite doing something they shouldn't have. Construction: salirse con la suya (pronoun agrees with subject: me salgo, te sales, se sale…). Always implies some tension or opposition: if there's no resistance, the phrase loses its meaning. Contrast with conseguir lo que uno quiere (neutral, no resistance implied).
Common mistake
Salirse con la suya always implies getting away with something against opposition or rules — it's not neutral success. Conseguir lo que quiere is neutral; salirse con la suya has a slightly negative connotation (the speaker often disapproves). The reflexive pronoun (se/me/te) must agree with the subject.