guau
/ˈɡwau/
The English phrase "wow" can be translated into Spanish using several forms, the most common being guau. Wiktionary also lists guao and hala.
Meaning: amazement (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| guau | /ˈɡwau/ | |
| guao | /ˈɡwao/ | |
| hala | /ˈala/ | |
| anda | /ˈanda/ | |
| asu (madre/macho/mare) | ||
| salute | /salute/ (from spelling rules) | Argentina |
The form guau is an onomatopoeic imitation of a bark, used in Spanish to express amazement similarly to the English 'wow'. Other forms like hala, anda or asu (madre/macho/mare) are also used. When you are left in disbelief, you might also use alucinante or impresionante.
Which one should you use?
While guau expresses amazement, it is also the standard Spanish onomatopoeia for a dog's bark. The form anda is used as an interjection to express surprise, disbelief or even mild annoyance.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, anda is used as an interjection to express surprise, disbelief or even mild annoyance and flipante is commonly used as an informal equivalent to wow. The form salute is used in Argentina.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡwau/
Did you know?
- The expression asu madre is a softened version of a su madre, which literally means 'to his mother' but functions as a common exclamation of shock in Latin America.
- While 'wow' is a pure exclamation in English, the Spanish hala actually originates from the verb 'halar', which means 'to pull'.
- The spelling of the borrowed word guau follows a pattern seen in many Spanish borrowings from Germanic languages, where the English 'w' sound is replaced by 'gu'.
Examples in context
- ¡Hala! ¡Qué caja tan grande!Wow! What a big box!This example shows how to use hala to react to the size of an object.Tatoeba #2181321 by Shishir, translation #1304566 by CK
- Guau, eso tiene muy buena pinta.Wow, that looks tasty.This example demonstrates the use of guau to express that something looks good.Tatoeba #1031582 by Shishir, translation #889783 by papabear
- ¡Hala, qué gol! ¡Qué potra tienes, chaval!Wow, what a goal! You're really lucky, kid!This example uses hala to react to a surprising or lucky event.Tatoeba #10192084 by Seael, translation #10614150 by sangelo
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are looking at a beautiful sunset.
- Sofía¡Guau, qué colores tiene el cielo!Wow, look at the colors in the sky!
- JavierEs increíble, Daniel.It is incredible, Daniel.
- SofíaNunca había visto algo así.I have never seen anything like this.
- JavierEs un momento muy especial.It is a very special moment.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wow” translations and entries guau, guao, hala, anda, 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 guao, guau, hala, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
