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"Ay" is a form of "ay", an interjection which is often translated as "ow". "Qué" is a form of "qué", a pronoun which is often translated as "what". Learn more about the difference between "ay" and "qué" below.
ay(
ay
)
An interjection is a short utterance that expresses emotion, hesitation, or protest (e.g., Wow!).
interjection
a. ow
¡Ay! ¡Acabas de pisarme el pie!Ow! You just stepped on my foot!
b. ouch
¡Ay! ¡Cómo duele!Ouch! That really hurts!
a. oh dear
¡Ay! Me han robado todo.Oh dear! All my things have been stolen.
b. jeez
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
¡Ay! Me asustaste.Jeez! You scared me.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
masculine noun
a. cry
Su ay se oyó en todo el recinto.His cry could be heard everywhere.
b. moan
De repente, el perro soltó un ay de dolor.All of a sudden, the dog let out a painful moan.
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qué(
keh
)
A pronoun is a word that stands in for a noun (e.g., she).
pronoun
a. what
¿Qué estás haciendo?What are you doing?
a. what
¿Sabías que Tina y Héctor se dejaron? - ¡Qué va!Did you know that Tina and Hector broke up? - Wait, what!
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
adverb
a. how
¿Puedes creer qué genial es esta serie?Can you believe how amazing this series is?
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
adjective
a. what
¿Qué hora es?What time is it?
b. which
¿Qué color prefieres, azul o negro?Which color do you prefer, blue or black?
a. what
¡Qué piernas tan largas tienes!What long legs you have!
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