ay
/ˈai/
The Spanish word for ouch is ay. Wiktionary also lists au and aw.
Meaning: expression of one’s own physical pain (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| ay | /ˈai/ |
| au | /au/ (from spelling rules) |
| aw | |
| auch | /ˈaut͡ʃ/ |
These terms are used as interjections to express one's own physical pain. You can use them to react to a sudden sharp pain or to describe a sensation of pain, such as in the informal and dramatic phrase Ay, ¡qué dolor! or when describing a past sensation like ¡Ay, me dolió un montón!
Which one should you use?
ay is the most common and standard way to express a sudden sharp pain. The other forms provided are au, aw and auch.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, the variation ayayay is used to express pain, often in a playful or theatrical manner. In Spain, the phrase ay, madre can be used to convey pain with added emphasis.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈai/
Did you know?
- In certain Latin American cultures, the rhythmic repetition of ay, ay, ay can be used as a musical filler or even a way to show excitement during a song.
- While ay marks pain, the word hay sounds identical but means 'there is' or 'there are'. Confusing these in writing is a common mistake even for native speakers.
- The interjection ay is purely onomatopoeic, meaning it was created to mimic the actual sound a human mouth makes when reacting to a sudden stimulus.
Examples in context
- ¡Auch! ¡Me picó una abeja!Ouch!! I've been stung by a bee!!This sentence shows how to use au when reacting to a bee sting.Tatoeba #1803720 by marcelostockle, translation #278297 by CM
- "¡Ay!" "¿Qué pasa?" "He pisado una chincheta"."Ouch!" "What's the matter?" "I stepped on a thumbtack."This sentence demonstrates a dialogue where ay is used after stepping on a thumbtack.Tatoeba #10095052 by manufrutos, translation #10094833 by letsgolanguages
- ¡Ay!Ouch!This sentence provides a simple example of the interjection ay.Tatoeba #3861897 by cueyayotl, translation #3758587 by Wuzzy
- Ay, me duele la cabeza.Ouch, my head hurts.
- ¡Ay, me dolió un montón cuando me torcí el tobillo!Ouch, it hurt a lot when I twisted my ankle!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are walking through a garden.
- Javier¡Ay!Ouch!
- Sofía¿Qué te pasó, Javier?What happened to you, Javier?
- JavierMe golpeé con una rama.I hit myself with a branch.
- SofíaPobre, ¿te duele mucho?Poor thing, does it hurt a lot?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ouch” translations and entries ay, auch, 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 ay, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
