At Your Peril in Spanish | Say It Like a Native Warning

“At your peril” often maps to “bajo tu propia responsabilidad” or “a tu propio riesgo,” meaning you accept the fallout if things go wrong.

You’ve seen “at your peril” in manuals, legal notices, thriller novels, and sharp one-liners. It’s short, tense, and a little dramatic. The tricky part is Spanish doesn’t lean on the exact same phrasing in daily speech, so a direct word-for-word swap can sound stiff, cold, or oddly theatrical.

This article gives you Spanish options that match the tone you want, from formal warnings to casual “don’t say I didn’t warn you” energy. You’ll also get ready-to-use lines you can drop into writing, signage, emails, or UI copy without sounding off.

At Your Peril in Spanish: Meaning And Natural Options

In English, “at your peril” means “if you do this, you’re the one taking the risk, and you’ll deal with the consequences.” It’s not just “be careful.” It’s more like a warning with a raised eyebrow.

Spanish usually expresses that idea with “risk” or “responsibility” language. Two of the most common, widely understood options are:

• A tu propio riesgo (or a su propio riesgo for formal “you”)
• Bajo tu propia responsabilidad (or bajo su propia responsabilidad)

Both signal: “You’re choosing this, and if something breaks, hurts, or fails, it’s on you.” That’s the core message.

Pick “riesgo” vs “responsabilidad” based on the vibe

Riesgo feels direct and practical. It fits signs, warnings, and anything that reads like policy language.

Responsabilidad feels more like liability and accountability. It fits rules, disclaimers, terms, and formal notices.

If you want the wording to lean legal, “responsabilidad” is often the safer choice. If you want it to sound like a clear warning, “riesgo” is usually cleaner.

Use “tu” or “su” the right way

Tu is informal (friends, casual instructions, many app experiences aimed at a general audience in Spain and parts of Latin America).

Su is formal (policies, contracts, hotel signage, medical forms, official notices).

If your text already uses “usted,” stick with “su.” If it uses “tú,” keep “tu.” Mixing them looks sloppy.

When A Word-For-Word Translation Goes Wrong

A literal translation can push you into phrases Spanish readers don’t use much, like trying to force “peligro” into the same slot. You can say things with “peligro,” and it’s a real word for danger, yet it often changes the message from “your choice, your risk” into “danger ahead.” Those are close, but not identical.

“At your peril” is about accountability tied to a choice. That’s why Spanish tends to go with “riesgo” or “responsabilidad.” If you’re writing something that needs to be understood fast, that’s the lane to stay in.

What Spanish readers usually hear in real life

In everyday Spanish, warnings often show up as short sentences, not set phrases. Think of lines like:

• Te lo advierto. (I’m warning you.)
• No digas que no te avisé. (Don’t say I didn’t warn you.)
• Allá tú. (Up to you, with a shrug.)

Those can carry the same punch as “at your peril,” especially in dialogue, social posts, and spoken tone.

Best Translations By Context

Here’s the practical part: pick the Spanish line that matches the setting. If you’re writing a contract clause, a casual “allá tú” won’t cut it. If you’re writing dialogue, a stiff disclaimer won’t sound human.

Use this as a menu. Choose the option that fits your tone, audience, and medium.

Formal notices, rules, and disclaimers

These work well in policies, signage, manuals, and terms pages:

• El uso de este servicio es bajo su propia responsabilidad.
• Accede a este enlace a su propio riesgo.
• Si continúa, lo hace bajo su propia responsabilidad.

If you’re writing anything that brushes up against liability language, “responsabilidad” keeps it clear. The RAE definition of “responsabilidad” covers both moral obligation and legal duty, which is the exact territory disclaimers live in.

Warnings in instructions and tech steps

For UI copy, help docs, and “advanced settings” style warnings, these feel natural and firm:

• Cambia esto solo si sabes lo que haces.
• Si sigues, asumes el riesgo.
• Hazlo bajo tu propia responsabilidad.

They read like a real product warning, not a dramatic quote from a movie.

Conversation, text messages, and dialogue

When you want the “I warned you” energy, go with speech-like options:

• Te lo digo en serio: luego no te quejes.
• No digas que no te avisé.
• Allá tú.

These are less “legal,” more human. They carry attitude without sounding unnatural.

When you mean real danger, not liability

Sometimes “at your peril” is used as “you’re walking into danger.” In that case, you can lean on “peligro.” The RAE defines “peligro” as risk of harm and also as a situation where harm is more likely, which fits real hazard warnings.

Good options in that mood:

• Si entras, te pones en peligro.
• No entres: es peligroso.
• Si lo haces, te estás metiendo en un lío.

Use these when the point is physical danger or serious trouble, not “you clicked it, that’s on you.”

Translation Table: What To Use And When

The phrases below are all valid; the best one depends on what you’re writing and the tone you want.

Spanish option	Best use	Tone
A tu propio riesgo / A su propio riesgo	Warnings, links, actions with possible downsides	Direct, plain
Bajo tu propia responsabilidad / Bajo su propia responsabilidad	Disclaimers, rules, terms, liability-style text	Formal, firm
Si sigues, asumes el riesgo	UI copy, settings screens, help docs	Clear, modern
Te lo advierto	Conversation, dialogue, social posts	Personal, serious
No digas que no te avisé	Friendly warnings, teasing, “told you so”	Colloquial, punchy
Allá tú	Short spoken warning with a shrug	Casual, slightly sharp
Si lo haces, te pones en peligro	Real hazard, harm, physical danger	Serious
Luego no te quejes	Conversation when someone ignores advice	Blunt, familiar

Small Tweaks That Make Your Spanish Sound Natural

Once you pick a base phrase, a few small edits can make it read like it was written in Spanish from the start.

Add a short reason after the warning

Spanish readers often expect a quick “why,” even if it’s one line. That keeps it from feeling like empty drama.

• Accede a tu propio riesgo; el enlace lleva a un sitio externo.
• Hazlo bajo tu propia responsabilidad; puedes perder tus ajustes.

Use “si decides” to frame it as a choice

This mirrors the English meaning without sounding like a translation:

• Si decides continuar, es bajo tu propia responsabilidad.
• Si decides abrirlo, lo haces a tu propio riesgo.

Match the level of formality across the whole paragraph

If the rest of the text uses formal verbs and “usted,” keep it consistent:

• Si decide continuar, lo hace bajo su propia responsabilidad.

That kind of consistency reads clean, which matters a lot in policies and notices.

Second Table: Ready-To-Use Lines For Common Situations

If you want copy you can paste with minimal edits, start here. Swap “tu/su” as needed.

Situation	Spanish line	Notes
External link disclaimer	Si accedes, lo haces a tu propio riesgo.	Short and clear for footers
Terms page warning	El uso del servicio es bajo su propia responsabilidad.	Reads formal and firm
Advanced settings screen	Cambia esto bajo tu propia responsabilidad.	Fits product UI tone
Download or file warning	Si lo descargas, asumes el riesgo.	Good when the action is optional
Friend ignoring advice	No digas que no te avisé.	Natural in chat and speech
Cold, blunt warning	Allá tú.	Short, sharp, colloquial
Real physical hazard	Si entras, te pones en peligro.	Use when harm is plausible
When damage is the concern	Si lo haces, puedes causar perjuicios.	Leans formal; “perjuicio” is damage

If you’re writing about harm or damage in a more formal sense, “perjuicio” can fit. The RAE entry for “perjuicio” covers the idea of detriment and, in legal contexts, compensable loss, which matches many warning labels and disclaimers.

Common Mistakes To Skip

A few patterns make Spanish warnings feel odd or unclear. These fixes keep your line crisp.

Don’t force drama into neutral contexts

If the text is a calm help article or a settings description, avoid “te arrepentirás” style lines. They can read like melodrama. Stick with “riesgo” or “responsabilidad.”

Avoid mixing “danger” and “liability” in one sentence

Pick the message you mean. If the issue is safety, use “peligro.” If the issue is accountability, use “responsabilidad” or “riesgo.” Mixing them can muddy the point.

Don’t translate “peril” as “peril”

Spanish doesn’t commonly use an everyday noun that matches the English feel of “peril” in this exact phrase slot. That’s why “a tu propio riesgo” is the cleaner choice most of the time.

One Simple Rule To Choose The Best Option

If you want a line that sounds native in most settings, use this rule:

• If it’s a notice, policy, or disclaimer: bajo tu/su propia responsabilidad.
• If it’s a warning about a click, step, or action: a tu/su propio riesgo.
• If it’s dialogue with attitude: No digas que no te avisé or Allá tú.
• If it’s real hazard: write it plainly with peligro.

That’s it. Pick the lane, match “tu/su,” and keep the rest of the paragraph consistent. Your Spanish will read clean and confident.