¡ah, bueno!
/ˈa ˈbweno/word by word
In Spanish, "oh good!" is translated as ¡ah, bueno!
¡ah, bueno! is an exclamation used to express relief or a sense of "that's a relief" when a problem is solved or a worry is removed.
Which one should you use?
While ¡ah, bueno! expresses relief that something is no longer a problem, ¡qué bueno! is used to express genuine enthusiasm or happiness about positive news.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, ¡Oh, qué alegría! can be used in formal settings to express elation. In Mexico, ¡Ah, qué padre! is an informal expression used to express joy and satisfaction. In Argentina, ¡Uh, qué bueno! is an informal expression used to show delight.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈa ˈbweno/
Did you know?
- In many Latin American countries, bueno is the standard way to answer the telephone, serving as a 'hello' rather than an expression of goodness.
- The phrase ¡ah, bueno! can be used sarcastically to mean 'oh, sure!' when someone provides an excuse that the speaker finds unbelievable.
- The word bueno is a linguistic doublet of the English word 'bonus', as both derive from the Latin 'bonus'.
Examples in context
- ¡Ah, bueno! Ya encontré las llaves.Oh good! I found the keys already.
- ¡Ah, bueno! Todo se arregló a tiempo.Oh good! Everything was fixed in time.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are waiting for a late bus.
- AlejandroMira, ya viene el autobús por fin.Look, the bus is finally coming.
- Sofía¡Ah, bueno! Ya me estaba empezando a preocupar.Oh good! I was starting to get worried.
- AlejandroSí, tardó más de lo normal hoy.Yes, it took longer than usual today.
- SofíaMenos mal que no nos fuimos.Luckily we didn't leave.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ah, bueno) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ah, bueno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
