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
- ¡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.
