Unit 11: Introduction to the subjunctive, commands, translation considerations (part 2)

11.5 Exclamations

Exclamations should present few or no comprehension problems.

¡Qué bien hablan español!

¡Cómo hablan bien el español!

How well they speak Spanish!

The above are both common and equivalent renderings of the English. Other exclamations are fairly literally translated; many of these insert the word másbefore an adjective as an intensifier:

¡Qué libro más largo! What a very long book!
¡Qué lectura más difícil! What a very difficult reading!
¡Qué vacaciones más aburridas! What a very boring vacation!

Vaya plus the indefinite article may be used in this construction instead of qué:

¡Vaya unos problemas que tenemos! What problems we have!

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