caramba
/kaˈɾamba/
In Spanish, the English exclamation "gee" is expressed as caramba.
caramba is a colloquial exclamation used to express surprise, frustration or emphasis. In written Spanish, this exclamation is often preceded by an opening exclamation mark (¡) and followed by a closing one (!).
Meaning: exclamation of surprise or pleasure (intj)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
caramba is a colloquial term. If you are looking for other ways to express surprise, caray is a colloquial alternative, while ¡Guau! is an informal interjection equivalent to "gee" or "wow".
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/kaˈɾamba/
Did you know?
- The word caramba was created as a euphemism to avoid saying carajo, which is a much stronger and more vulgar swear word.
- The word 'carajo' relates to the 'carajo' or 'capstan' on a ship, which refers to the physical mechanism used to rotate the capstan bar.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, caramba is now seen as an old-fashioned or 'vintage' exclamation, often associated with how grandparents or characters in old films speak.
Examples in context
- A la mañana siguiente, Link se despertó a las siete en punto, renovado y lleno de expectación. "¡Caramba!" se estiró lujuriosamente y apretó el botón en la parte superior del reloj despertador con cara del rey. "¡Oh, muchacho, el día finalmente ha llegado! ¡No puedo esperar!" pensó en su camino hacia el comedor. "Buenos días, Link", el rey le dio su típico saludo. "¿Munf-Munf? Nos hemos quedado sin Linky-O. Gwonam se los ha comido todos." "¿Problema, chicos?" dijo Gwonam con una sonrisa, pero nadie prestó atención a ello. "¡Wow gracias!" Link cavó con entusiasmo, sin tener en cuenta el sabor fuerte que casi hizo que se le saltaran los ojos. Después de todo, fue su propia culpa el haber permitido que Gwonam le derrotara.The next morning, Link woke up at seven o'clock, refreshed and brimming with anticipation. "Gee!" he stretched luxuriously and pressed the button on top of the Kingface alarm clock. "Oh boy, the day has finally come! I can't wait!" he mused on his way to the dining hall. "Morning, Link," the King gave him his typical greeting. "Munf-Munf? We ran outta Linky-O's. Gwonam has eaten them all." "Problem, guys?" said Gwonam with a smirk, but neither paid any attention to it. "Wow, thanks!" Link dug in enthusiastically, disregarding the strong taste that nearly made his eyes bulge. It was his own fault he let Gwonam beat him to it, after all.This sentence shows how caramba is used as an exclamation of surprise or excitement.Tatoeba #5023285 by albrusgher, translation #3938218 by Ooneykcall
- ¡Vaya! Ese monumento es espectacular.Gee! That monument is spectacular.
- ¡Vaya! No sabía que fueras tan talentoso.Gee! I didn't know you were so talented.
- ¡Caramba! Me he ganado la lotería.Gee! I've won the lottery.
- ¡Caramba! Este lugar es realmente impresionante.Gee! This place is truly impressive.
- ¡Guau! Tu nuevo corte de cabello se ve increíble.Gee! Your new haircut looks amazing.
- ¡Guau! No puedo creer que hayamos ganado el partido.Gee! I can't believe we won the game.
- ¡Caray! ¿Cómo lograste aprobar el examen sin estudiar?Gee! How did you manage to pass the exam without studying?
- ¡Caray! ¿Viste lo que acaba de pasar?Gee! Did you see what just happened?
- ¡Caramba, qué sorpresa!Gee, what a surprise!
- ¡Caramba, este pastel es delicioso!Gee, this cake is delicious!
Example conversation
Sofía shows Javier a beautiful painting she made.
- SofíaMira, Javier, terminé mi cuadro.Look, Javier, I finished my painting.
- Javier¡Caramba, Sofía! Te quedó increíble.Gee, Sofía! It looks incredible.
- SofíaMuchas gracias por decir eso.Thank you so much for saying that.
- JavierDe verdad tienes mucho talento.You really have a lot of talent.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry caramba, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caramba, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
