pues obvio
/pwes obbjo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "well duh" can be translated into Spanish as pues obvio.
pues obvio is an expression used to react to a statement that is considered common knowledge or self-evident. You can also use the adjective obvio on its own to mean "obvious" when responding to a question.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of pues, which means "well" or "then" and obvio, which means "obvious".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
This expression is informal. It should be used with friends or peers rather than in formal settings.
Did you know?
- The word obvio comes from the Latin obvius, which originally described something that was simply 'in the way' or 'encountered on the road'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying obvio can be perceived as more aggressive or condescending than the English 'duh'.
- While pues obvio is common, a teenager in Mexico might instead use the slang pos obvio to mimic a more relaxed, phoneticized way of speaking.
Examples in context
- Pues obvio, no se me olvidó.Well duh, I didn't forget.
- Pues obvio que tengo hambre.Well duh, of course I'm hungry.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are discussing if they need an umbrella because it is raining.
- ElenaDaniel, ¿crees que deberíamos llevar el paraguas?Daniel, do you think we should take the umbrella?
- Daniel¡Pues obvio! Está lloviendo fuertemente.Well duh! It's raining hard.
- ElenaSolo quería estar segura, no te molestes.I just wanted to be sure, don't get annoyed.
- DanielEstá bien, Elena, vamos rápido.It's okay, Elena, let's go quickly.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries obvio, pues, CC BY-SA 4.0.
