Meaning
"Take a hike" is a rude way to say "go away" or "leave me alone". The joke is in the picture: you are sending someone on a long walk, far from you. People say it when someone is annoying them, bothering them, or when they want to end a conversation fast. It can also mean "you're fired" or "we're done" in a tough-guy movie.
Watch the register. It is informal and dismissive, and it sounds a bit like old American movies, so today it often comes out half joking, between siblings or close friends. Said to a coworker, a customer or anyone you don't know well, it is plainly rude. There is also the literal meaning, a real walk in the hills: "We took a hike up the mountain." If you need space and you don't want to insult anyone, say it straight: "I need a few minutes on my own, please."
In a conversation
- Marcus
- Poppy
- Marcus
- Poppy
- Marcus
- Poppy
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Literal meaning: a real walk in nature. Context tells you which one it is.
Check yourself
Practice · 3 min
Listen, then repeat. "Take a hike" has a hard stop on "hike". Then practice the polite version, slower and warmer.
Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.