Word | Alternate/ Similar | Translation | Example | Meaning |
aah! | aaah, aaaahh | "Help!" | "Aaaah! It's eating my leg!" | Fright, shock. Sometimes it means "ahh" instead. |
aha | a-ha | "I understand" | "Aha! So you took the money!" | Understanding, triumph (can also be used as "ahh") |
ahem | | "Attention, please!" | "Ahem! Swearing is against office policy." | The sound of clearing one's throat. Used to get someone's attention, especially if they don't know (or apparently forgot) that you're there. |
ahh | ahhh | "Ok, I see" | "Ahh, yes, I understand now" | Realisation, understanding. Sometimes it means "aaah" or "eh" instead. |
argh | augh | "Damn!" | "Argh, the car won't work!" | Annoyance, anger, frustration |
aww | aw, awww | "How sweet!" | "Aww, what an adorable puppy" | Shows sentimental approval (also see next entry) |
aww | aw, ohh, ahh | "That's too bad" | "Aww, it hit him right in the nuts!" | Feeling sorry or pity for someone |
aw | oh | "Come on!" | "Aw, don't be like that!" | Mild protest |
bah | | "Whatever" | "Bah, I never liked him anyways." | Dismissive, annoyed |
boo | booh | "That's bad" | "Boo, get off the stage!" | Disapproval, contempt (also something to yell to surprise people) |
brr | brrrr | "It's cold" | "Brrr, it's -20C outside" | Being cold, shivering |
duh | | "That's dumb" | "Duh, you didn't plug it in." | Expresses annoyance over something stupid or obvious |
eek | eeeek | "Help!" | "Eeek, a mouse!" | Girly scream. Surprised, scared. |
eep | | "Oh no!" | "Eep! I didn't mean to say that!" | Surprise (female) |
eh? | huh? | "What?" | "Eh? I didn't hear what you said." | Misunderstanding. Also see "eh?" below |
eh? | huh?, eyh? | "Is that right?" | "So she dumped you, eh?" | Stereotypically overused by Canadians |
eww | ugh, ewww | "Disgusting" | "Ewww, this apple is rotten" | Disgust, dislike |
gah | | "This is hopeless" | "Gah, I give up" | Exasperation and despair |
gee | | "Really?" | "Gee, that's super!" | Surprise, enthusiasm, or just general emphasis. |
grr | grrrr | "I'm angry" | "Grrr, I'll kick his ass" | Anger, snarling, growling. Often used for dogs and other animals. |
hmm | hm, hmmmm | "I wonder" | "Hmm, I'm not sure about that" | Thinking, hesitation. |
humph | harumph | "I don't like this" | "There are kids on my lawn again, humph!" | A snort, to express dislike, disbelief or annoyance. |
huh | | "Really?" | "Huh, you were right" | Mild, indifferent surprise |
hurrah | hooray, huzzah | "Let's celebrate!" | "Hurrah, we won!" | Generic exclaimation of joy |
ich | yuck, yak | "Disgusting" | "Blerch, this apple is rotten" | Disgust, dislike |
meh | eh | "I don't know" | "Meh, whatever you think is best" | Indifference |
mhm | mmhm, uh-hu | "Yes" | "Do you think so too?" "Mhm" | Agreement, acknowledgement. |
mm | mmm, mmh | "Lovely" | "Mmm, this ice cream is delicious" | Pleasure. Sometimes it means "hmm" instead. |
muahaha | mwahaha, bwahaha | "I'm so evil!" | "I switched the sugar and the salt! Muahaha!" | Evil villain's triumphant laugh |
nah | | "No" | "Want another beer?" "Nah, I'm good" | Informal no |
nuh-uh | nuh-hu, nuhuh | "No, it isn't!"/"Did not!" | "I hit you!" "Nuh-uh!" "Yuh-uh!" "Nuh-uh!" | Childish negation or refusal |
oh | | "I see" | "Oh, you wanted sugar, not milk." | Realisation |
ooh-la-la | oh-lala | "Fancy!" | "A seven layer wedding cake? Ooh-la-la!" | An often ironic (or just funny) way indicating that something is fancy or high class |
ooh | oooh | "Wonderful!" | "Oooh, it's shiny!" | Wonder, amazement (ohhh can also mean ahhh) |
oomph | umph | "I'm exerting myself" | "Push on 3.. 1, 2, 3.. oomph!" | A grunt made on sudden exertion. Also used as a noun to mean "power" or "energy" ("This song needs more oomph!") |
oops | | "I didn't mean to do that" | "Oops, I knocked your cup over" | Being surprised at or acknowledging your own mistakes |
ow | oww, ouch | "That hurts" | "Oww, I hit my thumb" | Pain |
oy | oi, oyh | "Hey, you!" | "Oy! You forgot your wallet!" | Mainly British: Used to get someone's attention, similar to "hey!". Also used disapprovingly ("Oy, you spilled your drink all over me!"). |
oy | oy vay | "Oh no..." | "The bills are biling up. Oy..." | Mainly Jewish: Used to express self-pity, similar to "woe is me!" |
pew | pee-yew | "It stinks!" | "Pew, that smells so gross!" | Used for foul odors |
pff | pffh, pssh, pfft | "That's nothing" | "Pff, I once caught a fish twice that size" | Unimpressed |
phew | | "That was close!" | "I didn't do my homework, but the teacher didn't check. Phew!" | Expressing relief |
psst | | Whispering "Hey, you!" | "Psst. Let's skip the next class!" | Used to quietly get someone's attention, often to tell them a secret. |
sheesh | jeez | "I can't believe this!" | "Sheesh, now he's drunk again" | Exasperation, annoyance (corruption of "Jesus") |
shh | hush, shush | "Be quiet" | "Shh, I'm trying to hear what they're saying!" | Used to make someone be quiet |
shoo | | "Go away" | "Get out of here! Shoo!" | Used to drive away animals or small children |
tsk-tsk | tut-tut | "Disappointing" | "Tsk-tsk, he is late for work again" | disappointment, contempt (this is a clicking sound. Clip from Futurama) |
uh-hu | uhuh, mhm | "Yes" | "Do you think so too?" "Uh-hu" | Agreement, acknowledgement (easily confused with uh-uh) |
uh-oh | oh-oh | "Oh no!" | "Uh-oh, I think the bear is inside the house" | Concerned for indications that something will happen |
uh-uh | unh-unh | "No" | "Eat your spinach!" "Uh-uh!" | Refusal, especially if your mouth is full or if you refuse to open it (easily confused with uhuh) |
uhh | uhm, err | "Wait, I'm thinking" | "Seven times eight is... uhh... 56" | Indicates a pause in, rather than the end of, a sentence |
wee | whee, weee | "This is fun!" | "Weee! Faster!" | Used by children when doing something fun, and often ironically by adults when something is fun but childish |
whoa | | "Unbelievable!" | "Whoa, I just looked at it and it broke!" | Confounded, surprised and amazed. In popular culture, marijuana smokers are often depicted with this exclamation (originally a sound used to make horses stop) |
wow | | "Amazing!" | "Wow, that's incredible!" | Impressed, astonished |
yahoo | yippie | "Let's celebrate!" | "Yippie! We won!" | Generic exclaimation of joy |
yay | | "Yes!" | "Yay! We won!" | All-purpose cheer. Approval, congratulations and triumph |
yeah | yeeeeaah! | "Yes!" | "Yeeeaah! Kick his butt!" | Common slang for "yes", sometimes also used as an interjection. |
yee-haw | yeehaw | "I'm excited!" | "Let's gather some cattle! Yee-haw!" | Much like "yahoo", but almost always associated with cowboys. |
yoo-hoo | yoohoo | "Hey you!" | "Yoo-hoo, sugercup! Come give me a hug!" | The often ironic/comical, seductive call of a woman to get someone's attention |
yuh-uh | yuh-hu, yuhuh | "Yes, it is!"/"Did so!" | "I hit you!" "Nuh-uh!" "Yuh-uh!" "Nuh-uh!" ... | Childish affirmation, often used to counter "nuh-uh!" (not to be confused with yoo-hoo). |
yuck | ich, blech, bleh | "Disgusting!" | "Yuck, I wouldn't want to touch that" | Disgust, dislike |
zing | ba-dum-tss, badum tish | "Haha, well said!" | "You're so stupid, you'd trip over a wireless phone!" "Zing!" | Used (often ironically) to punctuate a punchline or witty comeback. From the sound of a rimshot, played after punchlines in some comedy acts. |