ostras
/ˈostɾas/
In Spanish, the phrase 'yikes' can be translated as ostras, caramba or huy.
Meaning: expression of shock and alarm (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| ostras | /ˈostɾas/ |
| caramba | /kaˈɾamba/ |
| huy | /ˈui/ |
These expressions are used to convey shock, alarm or surprise. For instance, you can use ¡Ay, caramba! to express surprise or concern in a lighthearted way, meaning 'Oh, damn' or 'Oh, shoot'. Additionally, ¡Caray! can be used to show surprise or frustration, translating to 'Wow!' or 'Darn!'
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word caramba is a euphemistic way to express shock, often used to avoid more offensive expletives and can be translated as 'goodness' or 'wow'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, ostras is a common interjection used to express surprise or mild shock. In South American countries such as Peru and Bolivia, the informal expression ¡pucha! is used to convey mild surprise or annoyance.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈostɾas/
Did you know?
- The word ostras literally means 'oysters'. It is used as a mild expression of shock to avoid saying hostia, which refers to the communion wafer and can be considered blasphemous.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the physical gesture of bringing a hand to the chest or mouth often accompanies these expressions to amplify the sense of alarm.
- While caramba is used across the Spanish-speaking world, it is globally recognized as the catchphrase of Bart Simpson in the dubbed Spanish versions of the show.
Examples in context
- ¡Ay, caramba! ¡Qué susto me has dado!Oh, shoot! You scared me!
- ¡Caray! Me olvidé el teléfono en casa.Darn! I forgot my phone at home.
- ¡Pucha! Me olvidé de hacer esa tarea importante.Yikes! I forgot to do that important assignment.
- ¡Ostras, qué susto me has dado!Yikes, you gave me such a fright!
- ¡Ostras, se rompió el cristal!Yikes, the glass broke!
- ¡Ostras, qué caro es esto!Yikes, this is so expensive!
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo see a huge spider on the wall.
- Lucía¡Ostras! Mira esa araña.Yikes! Look at that spider.
- MateoEs enorme, quítala de ahí.It's huge, get it out of there.
- LucíaNo puedo, me da miedo.I can't, I'm scared.
- MateoVale, yo me encargo.Okay, I'll handle it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yikes” translations and entries ostras, caramba, huy, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caramba, huy, ostras, CC BY-SA 4.0.
