Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| maldita sea | /malˌdita ˈsea/ |
| diablos | /ˈdjablos/ |
| caramba | /kaˈɾamba/ |
| diantre | /ˈdjantɾe/ |
| mierda | /ˈmjeɾda/ |
| joder | /xoˈdeɾ/ /ˌxoˈdeɾ/ |
| chale | /ˈt͡ʃale/ |
| demontres | /demontɾes/ (from spelling rules) |
| qué bárbaro | /ke baɾbaɾo/ (from spelling rules) |
Spanish offers several ways to express contempt, frustration or surprise. You can use maldita sea as a general exclamation of contempt. For expressions of shock or amazement regarding something extreme, you can use qué bárbaro. If you want to express disappointment or dismay in a very informal way, you might use chale.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase maldita sea is a literal construction where maldita means cursed and sea is the subjunctive form of to be, translating to cursed be it.
Which one should you use?
The forms vary significantly in intensity. Caramba is an euphemistic way to express surprise or frustration, similar to saying goodness gracious. Diablos can be used to mean darn it. In contrast to the non-vulgar maldita sea, the terms mierda and joder are vulgar and much more offensive in social settings. Demontres is also an available form for this expression.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a polite or softened approach, use the euphemistic caramba, which is similar to saying darn or goodness. Other informal options include diablos (darn it), caray (darn it) and rayos (darn).
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word chale is a colloquialism used primarily in Mexico to express disappointment, surprise or dismay.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
While maldita sea is an exclamation, the related word maldito functions as an adjective to intensify a noun, such as the damn car.
How do you pronounce it?
/malˌdita ˈsea/
Did you know?
- The word caramba is a 'minced oath', a polite substitute designed to avoid saying the more vulgar word carajo.
- Using joder in Spain is extremely common in casual conversation, but in many Latin American countries it is considered significantly more offensive.
- Spanish speakers may use rayos to express frustration, which literally translates to 'lightning bolts'.
Examples in context
- A la mierda todo.Damn it all.This sentence uses mierda to express frustration toward everything.Tatoeba #13685862 by Seael, translation #8110487 by Raizin
- ¡Caramba! ¡No está mal!Damn! It's not bad!This sentence uses caramba to express surprise at something being not bad.Tatoeba #2763 by Raimondi, translation #1572 by AlanF_US
- Diablos, olvidé mis píldoras.Damn, I forgot my pills.This sentence uses diablos to express a realization of forgetting something.Tatoeba #1777459 by marcelostockle, translation #9154057 by rafaeldejesus8199
- Caramba, me olvidé las llaves en casa.Darn, I forgot my keys at home.
- Caray, me da rabia que no tenga batería el celular.Darn it, it annoys me that my phone has no battery.
- Rayos, perdí el autobús por unos segundos.Darn, I missed the bus by a few seconds.
- Diablos, se me rompió el lápiz.Darn it, I broke my pencil.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are looking for their car keys.
- AlejandroNo encuentro las llaves por ningún lado.I can't find the keys anywhere.
- Sofía¡Maldita sea! Yo también las perdí.Damn! I lost them too.
- AlejandroEstamos llegando tarde al cine, Mateo.We are arriving late to the cinema, Mateo.
- SofíaBusca rápidamente en tu bolso, Sofía.Look quickly in your bag, Sofía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “damn” translations and entries maldita sea, diablos, caramba, diantre, mierda, joder, chale, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caramba, diablos, maldita sea, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
