achará
/at͡ʃaɾa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "aw" can be translated into Spanish as achará. Wiktionary also lists bienhaiga and acharita.
Meaning: (used to express disappointment or dismay) (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| achará | /at͡ʃaɾa/ (from spelling rules) | |
| bienhaiga | /bjenaiɡa/ (from spelling rules) | |
| acharita | /at͡ʃaɾita/ (from spelling rules) | Costa Rica |
| chará | /t͡ʃaɾa/ (from spelling rules) | Costa Rica |
The phrase is used to express feelings of disappointment or dismay.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Costa Rica, the form chará is used to express disappointment or dismay. Note that in Spain, the phrase ¡Qué Mono! is used to mean "How cute!" or "How adorable!", which is a different sentiment entirely.
How do you pronounce it?
/atʃaɾa/
Did you know?
- The form bienhaiga is a common folk-corruption of bien haya, combining a wish for wellbeing with an incorrect conjugation of the verb 'haber'.
- While achará expresses dismay, it looks strikingly similar to the verb 'achacar', which means to attribute a fault to someone or to impute a quality.
Examples in context
- ¡Qué tierno! Me encanta este perritoHow sweet! I love this little doggy
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are looking at a closed store.
- ElenaAchará, la tienda ya cerró.Aw, the store is already closed.
- MateoEs verdad, no llegamos a tiempo.It's true, we didn't arrive on time.
- ElenaTenía muchas ganas de comprar eso.I really wanted to buy that.
- MateoVolvemos mañana temprano, Elena.We will come back early tomorrow, Elena.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aw” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
