vaya
“vaya” means “Wow!” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
Wow!, Oh my!
Also: Geez, Well...
📝 In Action
¡Vaya! No sabía que venías. ¡Qué sorpresa!
A2Wow! I didn't know you were coming. What a surprise!
Me dijo que perdió las llaves otra vez. Vaya...
B1He told me he lost the keys again. Geez...
Vaya, vaya... con que esas tenemos.
B1Well, well... so that's how it is.
📝 In Action
¡Vaya lío! Ahora tenemos que limpiar todo.
B1What a mess! Now we have to clean everything up.
Tienes un vaya coche nuevo.
B1You've got some new car there. / What a new car you have!
Me dio un vaya susto cuando saltó desde atrás de la puerta.
B2He gave me such a scare when he jumped out from behind the door.
go
Also: that (I/he/she/it) go, (You) go
📝 In Action
Espero que todo vaya bien en tu viaje.
B1I hope everything goes well on your trip.
Cuando vaya a la tienda, compraré pan.
B1When I go to the store, I will buy bread.
Vaya usted con cuidado, por favor.
A2Go carefully, please. (Formal command)
Quizás vaya al cine esta noche.
B2Maybe I'll go to the movies tonight.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: vaya
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'vaya' to add emphasis to a noun, like saying 'What a...'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'vadere', meaning 'to go' or 'to walk'. The forms of 'vadere' and another Latin verb, 'ire', merged over time to create the modern, highly irregular Spanish verb 'ir'.
First recorded: Forms related to 'vaya' appeared in early Spanish texts around the 10th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'vaya', 'valla', and 'baya'?
They sound exactly the same but mean different things! 'Vaya' is the word for 'wow!' or a form of the verb 'ir' (to go). A 'valla' is a fence or a billboard. A 'baya' is a berry. It's a common spelling mistake, so be careful!
Why do I use 'vaya' instead of 'va' after 'espero que'?
In Spanish, when you express hopes, doubts, wishes, or commands, you often need to switch to a special 'mood' called the subjunctive. 'Vaya' is the subjunctive form of 'ir', while 'va' is the regular, factual form. So, you state a fact with 'Él va' (He goes), but you express a hope with 'Espero que él vaya' (I hope that he goes).
Can I say 'vayas' or 'vayan'?
Yes! Those are other forms of the verb 'ir' in the same special 'mood'. You use 'vayas' for 'tú' (you, informal), as in 'Quiero que tú vayas' (I want you to go). You use 'vayan' for 'ustedes' (you all), as in 'Espero que ustedes vayan' (I hope you all go).