guay

See also: Guay

Ladino

Alternative forms

• uay

Interjection

guay (Latin spelling, Hebrew spelling גואי)

1. woe!

Derived terms

• guay de
• guay de mí
• guaya

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Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡwai/ [ˈɡwai̯]

Etymology 1

From Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹 (wai, “woe!”), from Proto-West Germanic *wai, from Proto-Germanic *wai (interjection), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wáy (interjection).

Interjection

guay

1. (Spain) cool, terrific

Adjective

guay m or f (masculine and feminine plural guay or guais)

2. (Spain, colloquial) cool, terrific

   Synonyms: chachi, bacán, chévere, chido; see also Thesaurus:guay

Usage notes

• It kept its original meaning of pain or grief until the XIII century. By antiphrasis, it gained a positive connotation in the 80s. This adjective is most often treated as invariable, with the form guay being used regardless of gender or number; however, the plural form guais is also often found. Hence, “They're very cool” may be expressed either as son muy guay or as son muy guais.

Adverb

guay

1. (Spain, slang) cool, terrific

Usage notes

• Sometimes expanded to guay del Paraguay or guay de Paraguay.

Etymology 2

From Latin vae (“woe”) or Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌹 (wai, “woe”), from Proto-Germanic *wai, both from Proto-Indo-European *wai. Cognate with Portuguese guai and Italian guai.

Interjection

guay

2. (obsolete) woe! (expresses grief)

   Synonym: ay

Further reading

• “guay”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014