¡guau, qué locura!
/ˈɡwau ˈke loˈkuɾa/word by word
The English phrase "wow, that's crazy" is translated into Spanish as ¡guau, qué locura!
This expression is used to show surprise or disbelief regarding an unusual or shocking situation. It can convey genuine shock at a negative event or express amazement at something impressive or unbelievable.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the interjection guau (wow) and qué locura, which literally translates to "what madness".
Which one should you use?
While ¡guau, qué locura! uses a noun to mean "what a crazy situation", the alternative form ¡guau, qué loco! uses an adjective to mean "how crazy".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, people often use ¡Está alucinante! to express amazement, meaning "It's mind-blowing!"
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡwau ˈke loˈkuɾa/
Did you know?
- The interjection guau is actually an imitation of a dog's bark in Spanish, whereas in English 'wow' is an exclamation of wonder.
- While ¡qué locura! describes a situation, calling a person loco can swing wildly between being a serious insult and a term of endearment depending on the speaker's tone.
- The Spanish word guau was borrowed from the English 'wow', but the 'w' was changed to 'gu' to follow a historical pattern seen in words like guardar.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are discussing a recent unexpected news report.
- Alejandro¿Viste las noticias sobre el clima?Did you see the news about the weather?
- Lucía¡Guau, qué locura! ¡Nieve en el desierto!Wow, that's crazy! Snow in the desert!
- AlejandroSí, es totalmente increíble.Yes, it is totally incredible.
- LucíaMe quedé en shock al verlo.I was in shock when I saw it.
