guau
/ˈɡwau/
The English phrase "woah" can be translated into Spanish as guau.
guau is an informal exclamation similar to the English expression "wow".
Which one should you use?
While guau can be used as an exclamation of surprise like "woah", it is also the standard onomatopoeia for the sound a dog makes (woof).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the informal expression ¡Qué pasada! is commonly used to mean "What a blast!"
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡwau/
Did you know?
- If you are trying to tell a horse to stop (the original meaning of the English 'woah'), you would not use guau, but instead say ¡Quieto! or ¡Alto!
- The word guau is an adaptation of the English 'wow'. It follows a common pattern in Spanish where a Germanic 'w' sound is replaced by 'gu'.
- In certain contexts, using guau as an exclamation of surprise might actually be perceived as slightly childish because of its strong association with the sound of a dog.
Examples in context
- ¡Guau, qué coche tan increíble!Woah, what an incredible car!
- ¡Guau! Eso fue muy rápido.Woah! That was very fast.
- Guau, no puedo creerlo.Woah, I can't believe it.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are looking at a beautiful sunset.
- Alejandro¡Guau, mira ese cielo!Woah, look at that sky!
- ElenaEs precioso, Alejandro.It is beautiful, Alejandro.
- Alejandro¡Guau, los colores son increíbles!Woah, the colors are incredible!
- ElenaSí, es un espectáculo único.Yes, it is a unique spectacle.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry guau, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries guau, CC BY-SA 4.0.
