How to pronounce “vaya”
Hear how “vaya (wow! / oh! / well!)” sounds in Spanish, then read the breakdown below.
Accent
Breakdown
| Meaning | wow! / oh! / well! |
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| Syllables | va · ya (2) |
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| Stress | Words ending in a vowel, n or s stress the second-to-last syllable: VA. |
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| IPA | /ˈba.ʝa/ |
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Tips for English speakers
Common mistake: The v is a soft b: "BAH-yah", not "VAY-uh".
- y sounds like the y in "yes" in most countries. In Argentina and Uruguay you'll hear "sh".
- v sounds the same as b. Spanish has no English-style v sound.
- Keep every vowel short and pure: a = "ah", e = "eh", i = "ee", o = "oh", u = "oo". No gliding.
Learn more: LL and Y · Stress and accent marks · Spanish vowels
Example sentences
¡Vaya! ¡Qué casa tan grande!Wow! What a big house!
¡Vaya! Se me olvidó el paraguas.Oh no! I forgot my umbrella.
More words
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