carajo
/kaˈɾaxo/
The Spanish word carajo translates to 'damn it!' or 'hell' in English.
carajo is a versatile, informal expletive used to express anger, frustration, annoyance or surprise. It functions similarly to the English words 'hell' or 'damn'. It can be used as a standalone exclamation or integrated into phrases to add intensity. For example, placing it after an interrogative pronoun such as qué (what) or quién (who) intensifies the question, much like saying 'What the hell…?' or 'Who the hell…?' in English. It is also used in the rude command ¡Vete al carajo!, which means 'Go to hell!' and is a way to tell someone to get lost.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
carajo is an informal and often vulgar exclamation.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaˈɾaxo/
Did you know?
- The word carajo is thought to be a distant relative of the English word 'character', as both likely trace back to the Greek χάραξ meaning a 'stick'.
- In certain Spanish-speaking regions, if you say a place is el carajo, you are not just expressing anger but actually stating that the location is extremely far away or impossible to reach.
- The intensity of carajo varies wildly by geography, shifting from a mild expression of surprise in one country to a severe insult in another.
Examples in context
- ¡Carajo! Perdí el tren.Damn it! I missed the train.
- ¿Por qué no funciona esto, carajo?Why isn't this working, damn it?
- ¡Carajo! No puedo creer lo bien que canta.Wow! I can't believe how well he sings.
- ¡Carajo! ¡Qué hermosa es esa puesta de sol!Wow! How beautiful that sunset is!
- ¡Carajo! No puedo creer que hayas hecho eso.Damn it! I can't believe you did that.
- ¿Por qué no puedes hacerlo tú mismo, carajo?Why can't you do it yourself, damn it?
- ¡Carajo, se me olvidaron las llaves!Damn, I forgot my keys!
- Vete al carajo con tus excusas.Go to hell with your excuses.
- ¡Carajo, qué calor hace hoy!Damn, it's so hot today!
Example conversation
Daniel and María are working in the kitchen when a glass breaks.
- Daniel¡Carajo, se rompió el vaso!Damn, the glass broke!
- MaríaTranquilo, Daniel, no te cortes.Calm down, Daniel, don't cut yourself.
- DanielEs que me asusté mucho.It's just that I got really scared.
- MaríaNo pasa nada, yo lo limpio.It's okay, I'll clean it up.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry carajo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carajo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
