Inklingo

How to Say "my goodness!" in Spanish

English → Spanish

caramba

kah-RAHM-bahkaˈɾamba

interjectionB1general
Use 'caramba' for general emphasis or a mild exclamation of surprise, similar to 'wow!' or 'goodness me!'
A small, cheerful person depicted in a storybook style, raising their eyebrows and widening their eyes dramatically, with a slightly open mouth, showing an expression of total astonishment or awe.

Examples

¡Caramba! ¡Qué casa tan grande tienen!

Wow! What a big house they have!

¡Caramba! Olvidé la cartera en la oficina otra vez.

Darn it! I forgot my wallet at the office again.

¡Caramba, ese es un buen precio!

My goodness, that's a good price!

Always an Interjection

Since 'caramba' is an interjection, it always stands alone or starts a sentence and needs exclamation marks (¡!) in writing.

Using it as an Adjective

Mistake: “No es una 'caramba' situación.”

Correction: It is only an exclamation and cannot be used to describe people or things.

dioses

dee-OH-sehsdiˈoses

interjectionB2general
Use 'dioses' for a slightly stronger, but still mild, expression of surprise or disbelief, like 'good heavens!' or 'oh my!'
A cartoon character with a look of extreme surprise, hands pressed against their cheeks, showing dismay.

Examples

¡Dioses! ¡Casi olvidamos la reservación!

Good heavens! We almost forgot the reservation!

¡Dioses, qué frío hace aquí!

Oh my gods, it's so cold in here!

Caramba vs. Dioses

Learners often use 'caramba' for any surprise, but 'dioses' is specifically for mild surprise or disbelief. While 'caramba' is more versatile, 'dioses' adds a touch more emphasis to the surprise itself.

Related Translations

good heavens!darn it!deitiesgodswow!

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