How to Say "guffaw" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “guffaw” is “carcajada” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Su chiste fue tan bueno que solté una carcajada en medio de la cena.
His joke was so good that I let out a loud laugh in the middle of dinner.
Oímos una carcajada desde la otra habitación.
We heard a loud laugh from the other room.
No pudo contener la carcajada al ver la cara de su hermano.
He couldn't hold back his guffaw when he saw his brother's face.
It's a Thing, Not an Action
In English, 'laugh' can be a thing (a laugh) or an action (to laugh). In Spanish, 'carcajada' is only the thing. To say someone laughed loudly, you must combine it with a verb like 'soltar' (to let go) or 'dar' (to give).
Always Feminine
Because it ends in '-a', it is a feminine word. You will always use 'la' or 'una' with it, even if the person laughing is a man.
Confusing it with the verb
Mistake: “Yo carcajada mucho.”
Correction: Yo me río a carcajadas (I laugh out loud) or 'Solté una carcajada' (I let out a loud laugh). You cannot use 'carcajada' as a verb action.
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.