Inklingo

How to Say "wow" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “wow” is “guau” — use 'guau' for a direct, general expression of surprise or admiration, similar to the English 'wow'. It's a common and versatile choice..

English → Spanish

guau

/gwou//ɡwau/

interjectionA2informal
Use 'guau' for a direct, general expression of surprise or admiration, similar to the English 'wow'. It's a common and versatile choice.
A child looking up with wide eyes and an open mouth, expressing intense surprise and admiration at a large, brightly colored butterfly flying nearby.

Examples

¡Guau! No sabía que podías dibujar tan bien.

Wow! I didn't know you could draw so well.

Terminaste todo el proyecto en un día. ¡Guau!

You finished the whole project in one day. Wow!

Vimos la película y ¡guau!, fue la mejor del año.

We saw the movie and wow, it was the best of the year.

Showing Emotion

This is a simple, powerful way to show genuine surprise, enthusiasm, or admiration, just like saying 'Wow' in English.

Formal Settings

Mistake: “Using '¡Guau!' in a business meeting or formal presentation.”

Correction: In formal settings, use '¡Qué interesante!' (How interesting!) or '¡Qué impresionante!' (How impressive!) instead.

caray

kah-RIGH (rhymes with 'eye')/kaˈɾai̯/

interjectionA2informal
Use 'caray' to express surprise, often with a hint of mild exasperation or disbelief, but it can also convey admiration.
A small, wide-eyed child standing next to a massive, vibrant yellow sunflower that towers over them, looking up in awe and surprise.

Examples

¡Caray, qué coche tan rápido tienes!

Wow, what a fast car you have!

¡Caray! Se me olvidó la cartera en casa.

Darn it! I forgot my wallet at home.

Caray, no sabía que hablabas tres idiomas.

Goodness, I didn't know you spoke three languages.

Always Unchanging

As an interjection, 'caray' is always used alone or at the start of a sentence. It never changes its form—it doesn't have a plural or a feminine version, and it doesn't need to agree with anything.

Confusing Register

Mistake: “Thinking 'caray' is a strong curse word.”

Correction: 'Caray' is a great, safe choice. It allows you to express strong emotion (like frustration or surprise) without being rude or vulgar. It is much milder than its root word.

fíjate

interjectionB1informal
Use 'fíjate' to express surprise, drawing attention to something unexpected or remarkable as if to say 'look at this!' or 'can you believe it?'.

Examples

Fíjate, ¡ganaron la lotería después de comprar un solo billete!

Can you believe it? They won the lottery after buying just one ticket!

imagínate

interjectionB1informal
Use 'imagínate' to express amazement or to emphasize the magnitude of a situation, inviting the listener to picture it.

Examples

Estuvimos esperando tres horas. ¡Imagínate!

We were waiting for three hours. Imagine that!

Choosing between 'fíjate' and 'imagínate'

Learners often confuse 'fíjate' and 'imagínate'. While both express surprise, 'fíjate' is more about pointing out something unexpected, like 'look at this!', whereas 'imagínate' emphasizes the scale or difficulty of a situation, inviting you to picture it.

Related Translations

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