¡guau, ¿en serio?!
/ˈɡwau en ˈseɾjo/word by word
The Spanish way to say "wow, really?" is ¡guau, ¿en serio?!
This phrase is used as an expression of surprise or disbelief when reacting to information that you did not expect.
Which one should you use?
While ¡guau, ¿en serio?! is the complete phrase, you can also use ¿De verdad? as a common alternative to express disbelief or surprise. Another informal way to express similar surprise is ¿De veras?
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡwau en ˈseɾjo/
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'wow' to express amazement, the Spanish guau is strictly an onomatopoeia for a dog's bark. Using it to express surprise is a relatively recent adoption from English.
- In certain Latin American contexts, instead of ¿en serio?, you might hear ¿es neta? In Mexican slang, 'la neta' means 'the truth', making '¿es neta?' a very common way to say 'really?'
- While guau is used in some regions, many Spanish speakers prefer ¡hala! or ¡ostras! to express the same level of amazement.
Examples in context
- ¡No me digas! No puedo creerlo.You don't say! I can't believe it.
- ¡Guau, ¿en serio?! No puedo creerlo.Wow, really?! I can't believe it.
- ¡Guau, ¿en serio?! ¿Te vas a mudar?Wow, really?! Are you moving?
- ¡Guau, ¿en serio?! Qué sorpresa.Wow, really?! What a surprise.
Example conversation
María tells Alejandro that she won a trip to Italy.
- MaríaGané un viaje gratis a Italia.I won a free trip to Italy.
- Alejandro¡Guau, ¿en serio?! ¡Felicidades, María!Wow, really? Congratulations, María!
- MaríaSí, recibí el correo hoy.Yes, I received the email today.
- AlejandroQué suerte tienes, Alejandro está celoso.How lucky you are, Alejandro is jealous.
