pero qué
/peɾo ke/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "boy what" is pero qué.
Pero qué is used as an exclamation to express surprise, disbelief or indignation, similar to saying "what the heck" in English.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this exclamatory usage, qué must always carry an accent mark. The phrase is frequently used at the beginning of a sentence that is then completed by a subject and a verb, such as ¡Pero qué dices! (Boy, what are you saying!).
How do you pronounce it?
/peɾo ke/
Did you know?
- The word pero is a linguistic survivor from the Latin phrase 'per hoc', which literally meant 'through this' or 'for this reason'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the exclamation ¡Pero qué! is often accompanied by a gesture of throwing one's hands up or opening the palms.
- The word qué is a direct descendant of the Latin quid, which is also the root of the English word 'quid pro quo'.
Examples in context
- ¡Pero qué sorpresa!Boy, what a surprise!
- ¡Pero qué susto me diste!Boy, what a scare you gave me!
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are looking at a very expensive car.
- AlejandroMira ese coche rojo.Look at that red car.
- MaríaPero qué precio tan caro tiene.Boy, what an expensive price it has.
- AlejandroEs verdad, es demasiado.It's true, it is too much.
- MaríaNunca podré comprarlo.I will never be able to buy it.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pero, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
