Slang: how to "exclaim" in Spanish

A very simple Spanish slang lesson today, straight from an archived version of our free monthly cultural newsletter.

Here are some colorful expressions (slang, formal and English translation) that are well worth learning before spending time in Spain. You're sure to hear them, and letting out a perfectly time and precisely pronounced "¡Anda!" is sure to lend an air of fluency to your Spanish.

An expression for that long awaited moment when you finally get something:

¡Ajá!: Entiendo, I understand.

An all purpose expression of surprise and another just to say something's cool:

¡Anda! : ¡No me digas! (sorpresa), Good Heavens! (surprise).

¡Guau!: ¡Qué bien!, Wow, that's great!

What to shout as your Spanish friend wanders across a street without noticing the scooter headed straight for him, or tells you about his plans to do something in business or her personal life that you consider just a bit risky:

¡Ojo!: ¡Cuidado!, Watch out!

And last, what to say when you try a dish and the trying doesn't go well. You don't like the taste...at all!

¡Puag! ¡Agg!: ¡Eso sabe horrible!, Yuck! This tastes awful!