Inklingo

How to Say "bang" in Spanish

English → Spanish

pum

poompum

interjectionA1informal
Use 'pum' as an interjection to imitate the sudden sound of an explosion or a sharp impact, often used to add emphasis to an event.
A colorful illustration of a drum being hit with a drumstick, showing impact lines.

Examples

¡Pum! El globo explotó.

Bang! The balloon popped.

Estaba inflando el globo y, ¡pum!, explotó.

I was blowing up the balloon and, pop!, it exploded.

¡Pum! La puerta se cerró de golpe.

Bang! The door slammed shut.

Iba corriendo, tropecé y ¡pum!, al suelo.

I was running, I tripped and thud!, down to the ground.

Using Sound Words

This is an 'onomatopoeia,' which means it's a word that mimics a real-world sound. In Spanish, these words are used very often in storytelling to make the description more vivid.

Always the Same

This word is 'invariable,' meaning it never changes its spelling, regardless of whether you are talking about one explosion or many.

Nouns from Sounds

By adding 'un' or 'el' in front of a sound word, you turn it into a regular noun (a thing).

Spelling with 'B'

Mistake: “boom”

Correction: pum

Gender confusion

Mistake: “la pum”

Correction: el pum

boom

/boom/ (like the English word)bum

nounA2
Use 'boom' specifically for the loud, resonant sound of a significant explosion, like fireworks or a demolition.
A simplified illustration of a large, sudden cloud of grey smoke and bright orange light erupting from a central point, symbolizing a loud explosion sound.

Examples

Oímos un gran boom que venía de la calle.

We heard a big boom coming from the street.

El cohete hizo boom y desapareció en el cielo.

The rocket went boom and disappeared into the sky.

Sound Words

In Spanish, words that imitate sounds (onomatopoeia) often function like nouns, or they are paired with verbs like 'hacer' (to make) to describe the action.

pum

nounB1
Use 'pum' as a noun to refer to the actual sound of a physical hit or impact, distinct from an explosion.

Examples

Se escuchó un pum muy fuerte en el garaje.

A very loud bang was heard in the garage.

Interjection vs. Noun 'pum'

Learners often confuse the interjection 'pum' (sound imitation) with the noun 'pum' (the actual sound of a hit). Remember to use 'pum' as an interjection for sudden sounds and as a noun for the sound of a physical impact.

Related Translations

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